Police have arrested a man they say may be partly responsible for the burglary spike in a Queens neighborhood.
Residents in Forest Hills learned in a meeting with police Monday night that a suspect is in custody and charged with one burglary in the area, but is suspected to be linked to several others.
The crime wave started in February of this year and has caused the number of burglaries to spike 93 percent in the 112th Precinct. At this time last year, there were 29 burglaries in the precinct; this year, there have already been 56, according to the NYPD.
In almost every case, the burglar broke through a door and stole money and jewelry.
Police told residents Monday the suspect lives in the community.
Neighbor Sam Abramov said he found it "disturbing" that someone so close was targeting their own neighborhood.
Raymond Auyeung was relieved police may have found the culprit.
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"I feel a little safer now," he said. "Now I see more police presence in my area, which is great. They stay on the corner or the bus stop, or there's a police vehicle."
Police said they may be looking for one other person of interest in the burglaries.
