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The Palisades Emergency Residence Corporation (PERC) homeless shelter in Union City, July 16 2013. Authorities in Weehawken blame the shelter for a sudden influx of "aggressive" homeless people in the township. (Reena Rose Sibayan/The Jersey Journal)
(EJA)
WEEHAWKEN--Township officials blame a recent uptick in the homeless population for a recent spike in burglaries, but an analysis of police data shows that break-ins are about on track with last year's figures.
Weehawken saw at least eight residential and four car burglaries in July, according to police reports. The number of burglaries in buildings in July 2015 is double what the township saw last year--eight this year versus four in 2014. However, the number of burglaries between January and July this year are pretty much on track with those reported during the same period in 2014--24 this year, versus 27 last year--so it remains to be seen if the township will finish out the year with more burglaries in buildings than previous years.
Mayor Richard Turner said the fact that the number of burglaries so far this year nearly match the number from last year is "irrelevant." He said the township was heading toward a decrease in burglaries from last year until the sudden spike in July. What's key, he said, is the sudden burst of more burglaries over the course of a few weeks.
"It's not just the numbers, which is bad enough," he said. "It's the concentration in a short period of time."
Over the past five years, burglaries in the township have remained fairly steady in the mid-30s to high 40s, down significantly from a spike in 2008, when Weehawken reported 76 break-ins, according to New Jersey State Police Uniform Crime Data. (Note: State police data does not include car burglaries. Weehawken has not yet reported its burglary data to state Police for July 2015, so the total of 24 burglaries was calculated using police reports provided by the township.)
Public Safety Director Jeff Welz said the jump in burglaries in July this year is partially due to a sudden increase in homeless individuals from outside the township.
"Weehawken is a small town. We've seen a strong increase of people we've never seen before," he said. "Cops in the streets are seeing unfamiliar faces."
The influx of "aggressive" homeless individuals is evident in a slew of arrests made in July, said Deputy Director Thomas White. Police arrested 19 individuals--for drug possession, burglary and other offenses--14 of whom were homeless, he said. Some of the burglaries involved vandalism, including three homes that were tagged with white spray paint, two of which also had bricks thrown through the windows, according to police reports. The homeowner in one burglary on Bonn Place was allegedly assaulted by the burglar.
Police reports only indicate that one of the individuals arrested had a shelter address--the Hoboken Homeless Shelter--but White said most of the car and residential burglaries have been linked to homeless individuals. He expects to charge some of the individuals already arrested with additional burglaries.
Turner partially blamed Palisades Residence Corporation in Union City (PERC) for the sudden increase in homeless individuals in the township. He said the shelter opened a second floor--60 additional beds--without consulting local authorities. The expansion, combined with a shuttle that ran to the Union City shelter, led to several individuals, who weren't permitted to stay at other shelters in the area spending time and, in some cases, committing crimes in Weehawken, Turner said.
"You just can't move more violent or aggressive people around the county," he said. "You can't do things willy-nilly without consulting with the local authorities."
PERC Executive Director Carol Mori hasn't returned phone and email messages seeking comment placed over the course of several weeks.
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Hudson County suspended certain funding to PERC on July 31 because the shelter didn't have the proper local approvals to open up its second floor, said Jim Kennelly, county spokesman. As a result, the shuttles are also no longer running from Journal Square and Hoboken to the Union City shelter, he said. The shuttles were intended to transport individuals to get services at the shelter, but the visitors ended up staying, he said. From April to July, PERC received $63,000 of the $163,867.50 awarded to the shelter through three resolutions passed by the Board of Chosen Freeholders, Kennelly said.
He said the county only recently learned of complaints of "aggressive" homeless individuals in Weehawken and were not the impetus for halting funding to PERC.
Turner said the township is willing to help homeless individuals, but a distinction must be made between the usual crowd the township sees and the people accused of the burglaries. He said the increase in "aggressive" individuals also poses a quality of life problem for residents.
"You open your door and a homeless person jumps out at you, it's not a pleasant experience," he said.
Turner said the shuttle and the expansion were shut down, resulting in a "tremendous" decrease in the number of homeless individuals in the township throughout August.
Union City Mayor Brian Stack said he wasn't aware that the individuals committing the burglaries were coming from the shelter. He defended PERC, saying it provides a place for people who would otherwise be on the streets. He said the real issue is that all municipalities in the county need to contribute more financial assistance in helping homeless individuals in the county.
"It's a bigger issue than just police and burglaries. It's a social service issue. It comes down to all human beings: We've got to help each other out," he said. "They're not Union City's homeless. They're not Weehawken's homeless; they're Hudson County's homeless."
Jaclyn Cherubini, the executive director of the Hoboken Homeless Shelter, said she was not familiar with Weehawken's situation. She did, however, express doubts about the link between burglaries and the township's homeless population.
"I don't think there is a direct correlation between homelessness and burglary," she said. "I just don't believe that's true."
Welz said the season could also be a contributing factor to the jump in burglaries. Residents tend to leave their doors unlocked and their windows open during the summer time. Window air conditioning units can also allow burglars quick and easy access to a home. He said the department has increased patrols, but he also urged that residents be vigilant about securing their homes and vehicles.
"Anytime there's an uptick, it's incumbent on us to take action,'' Welz said. "Residents can't let their guard down. A lot of this is opportunity."
Kathryn Brenzel may be reached at kbrenzel@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @katiebrenzel. Find NJ.com on Facebook