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Westchester County Residents On Edge Following String Of Break-Ins

NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- A series of home break-ins had some Westchester County residents concerned on Friday night. They live in an exclusive part of New Rochelle, where homeowners have increased home security.

Greg Goldsholl has had an alarm for a year, but he didn't always use it.

"We've been lax about it, but since we heard this was going on we've had it on every single night. Definitely locking windows and being more careful," Greg Goldsholl told CBS 2's Dick Brennan.

Three robberies targeted posh homes in Larchmont Woods in New Rochelle.

On September 16, a burglar struck near a wooded area on Rugby Road around noon, breaking a glass in the rear of the house, and then ransacking the place.

Over the next two days two more burglaries took place overnight, one on Beechmont Drive and another on Forest Avenue.

"In both cases the people in the burglaries overnight were at home when the burglaries occurred," Captain Joseph Shaller, New Rochelle Police Department, said.

The neighborhood has woods with trails around them where a thief can go in one side and then come out the other, near a road where a getaway car could be waiting.

Police say James Jones-Rhett, 19, is a person of interest in the case. He was stopped and questioned by police who said he was wandering around the area shortly after the Forest Avenue burglary, but they let him go.

"Later that day, detective working on another case connected him to a burglary that happened in the south end of the city nowhere near Larchmont Woods," Captain Shaller said.

Police are continuing to see if they can connect Jones-Rhett to the case. In the meantime residents are taking extra precautions.

"It makes me take pause. I am gonna go make sure my back door is always locked," Sue Neuman said.

New Rochelle residents say there have been no new burglaries reported since September 18.

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