Students on edge, police ‘deeply concerned’ about recent spike in break-ins in Brighton

Boston police issued a community alert this week, warning residents of a recent spike in both break-ins and attempted break-ins in Brighton.

“We are deeply concerned about these incidents and are working diligently to address the situation,” the department noted in a release, while also sharing photos of a person of interest from at least two incidents.

Authorities said they do not know if this person has involvement in all of the reported incidents.

In addition to suggesting that residents implement extra security measures to protect their property, police said people should report any suspicious people or activity by calling 911.

The images come from video surveillance captured by several Boston College students, who recently told WCVB-TV about their experiences with a man seemingly snooping around their home and peering through windows.

“I saw him coming up the back steps, and I was immediately shaking, filled with so much panic,” one student told the news station of the ordeal, explaining how she and her roommates called 911 after getting a Ring camera alert about the movement outside.

“Then, from the downstairs unit, I heard three of my roommates screaming because he was looking in all the windows,” the student added, according to WCVB.

Despite the students adding extra security measures like motion detector lights and security bars, they noticed the man seemed unfazed and even looked directly at the camera before heading up the back steps, WCVB reported.

“It’s just terrifying to know that someone’s trying to get into our home,” the same student told NBC10 Boston. “He makes eye contact with the cameras during his attempted break-ins, which is terrifying because he’s not deterred by anything that we’ve been doing.”

Boston College Police Department also issued a community alert earlier this month, warning of “several off-campus residential burglaries that have occurred during the evening, and early morning hours in the Gerald Road neighborhood of Brighton.”

Boston police encourage anyone with information to contact District D-14 detectives at 617-343-4256.

Community members can also submit anonymous tips by calling the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800-494-TIPS or by texting the word “TIP” to CRIME (27463).