Camden County residents bring safety concerns to local leaders after recent break-ins

HADDONFIELD, New Jersey (WPVI) -- After recent home break-ins and car thefts, some Camden County residents brought their concerns to local leaders at a meeting on Monday night.

"Statistics are great and they show Haddonfield is a safe town, but the problem is we don't feel that way," said Chadd Levine, an organizer with Haddonfield Safe.

Haddonfield Safe is a community group serving Haddonfield, New Jersey.

It was started by residents following a perceived lack of attention to local crime by town leaders and police.

Haddonfield Safe says they want more police officers, overtime night patrols, and license plate readers on the town's major roads.

RELATED | String of attempted break-ins leave Camden County residents on edge

"We understand this takes money; reallocate the budget, raise taxes, ask for donations," said Marc Rubino, another organizer with Haddonfield Safe.

Back in April, Action News obtained home surveillance video showing a group of suspects breaking into a Haddonfield home.

The video showed the suspects banging loudly until the door opened and they went inside.

Police say this is one of two break-ins that happened while residents were inside the home.

In the next incident, thieves swiped keys and stole vehicles from driveways on April 3.

"When I hear a noise in the middle of the night, I should be able to go back to sleep and I can't," one resident told Action News.

Haddonfield Safe says they surveyed 400 residents, and 83% said they don't feel informed on matters of safety and security by the town.

"We'll improve the communication, we'll work on things, and you have my solemn promise that I'm not going anywhere, and I'll make sure it's right," said Commissioner Frank Troy.

Mayor Colleen Bianco-Bezich said it's an issue she is working to address.

"At every one of our monthly business meetings, the chief and I have spoken about our plans and what we're doing to improve safety and increase preventative measures and also solve any activity that's going on," Mayor Bianco-Bezich said.

"A lot of those individuals don't attend our monthly meeting, so I think some of what they're going to see or hear if they're open to dialogue with us beyond this meeting is that we're doing already so much of what they really had no idea about or that theyre requesting ," the mayor continued.

Some steps the mayor says she has already taken include applying for a grant to move the police department out of the basement of a borough building and into a new facility.

This would help the department make technology upgrades and hire more officers.

The borough currently has 21 police officers and the mayor hopes to have 30 by 2030.

She says she hopes to collaborate with residents and Haddonfield Safe on more ways to make them feel secure in their town.

"I share the concerns of all victims, no one in any place wants to feel violated or alarmed and alone," the mayor said.

Monday night's meeting was a work session and no action has yet been taken.