As many as 40 burglar alarms were triggered across both residential and commercial properties in East Hampton Town last week, in some places more than once in 24 hours.
Police were able to provide information for all but six of the alarm calls. In all 34, nothing was stolen and no property was damaged. In eight cases, the alarm was called in as false before officers even arrived at the scene. In several other cases, the alarm was tripped accidentally by an employee or worker. Others were attributed to a faulty alarm system.
At 7 High Ridge Road in Northwest, however, police responded to a triggered alarm four times in fewer than 48 hours: first at 6:06 p.m. on Friday, then at 4:20 a.m. and 9:26 p.m. on Saturday, and finally at 5:36 a.m. on Sunday. In each case officers arrived and found no instance of a break-in or any other “criminal mischief.”
Additionally, police responded twice to a tripped alarm at 589 Montauk Highway in Amagansett, at 2:34 p.m. on Sunday and again on Monday at 10:37 p.m. And twice also at 12 Sandown Court in Wainscott, at 10:44 p.m. Sunday and a few hours later at 1:12 a.m. on Monday. In all four cases, there was no sign of forced entry nor was anything taken.
On Monday, Gianna Cionchi walked into the M&T Bank in Montauk to find that no one was working and the building was completely empty. Ms. Cionchi called police to notify them that the door had been left open. It was still open, and the bank was still empty, when police arrived. Bank management was contacted and was able to send a representative to secure the building.