Burglar Breaks into Home Using Garage Door Opener

Police are urging residents to take precautions after a thief burglarized a Chesterfield home by sneaking in through the garage.

The opener for the door had been left in an unlocked vehicle outside a home in the 2100 block of Brook Hill Ct. on Feb. 21. Once inside, the unknown suspect grabbed a laptop and a bag containing other electronics and then left undetected.

Police said the victim did not know exactly when the theft occurred, so it’s unknown whether they were home or not at the time. An investigation remains ongoing, but for now it serves as a reminder that a locked front door is often not enough to foil would-be thieves.

“We always inform residents to not only lock their cars, but to also secure their garage door openers,” Chesterfield Police Officer Mike Ryffel said in an email to Patch.

A garage door is often a point-of-entry for criminals, and the Chesterfield Police Department has a program in place to issue gentle written reminders to residents who leave them open overnight.