Burglars use Facebook in NH robberies

NASHUA, N.H. -- Three New England men allegedly used the popular social networking website, Facebook, to break into people’s homes.

The men allegedly used people’s Facebook posts to find out when people were going on vacation and then proceeded to break into their homes. They are being blamed for dozens of break-ins.

Nashua Police said this burglary ring hit so many homes they had to create a special burglary unit. Police said they made three arrests - two 17-year-olds and one 25-year-old, but they said more arrests are possible.

The three men were arrested after discovering stolen property at the home of one of the men’s girlfriends.

Police said 50 homes were burglarized in August alone and more than $100,000 worth of property was stolen from homes in Nashua, N.H.

“The residents or their teenage children basically advertised that they were going to be away on vacation. Those houses were targeted very quickly,” said Lt. Jeffrey Bukunt of the Nashua Police Department.

Christi Indeck was one of the victims of the burglaries. She had over $20,000 worth of property stolen from her home, including her dog's ashes.

“It looked as though they may have used a jimmy bar or something to break the lock,” said Indeck.

Indeck said she does not announce on her Facebook page when she is out of town for the very reason of burglaries. But she knows many others that do.

“It’s an easy check in with people that I don’t talk to on an everyday basis or a weekly or a monthly basis that I’m like, ‘Oh, they’re in India’ or ‘They’re in Italy’ or ‘They’re going to Boston for the weekend,’” said Indeck.

Police said in many cases it was the teenagers that put sensitive information on Facebook.

“Essentially it's internet shopping for criminals,” said Bukunt.

Police said that parents should be monitoring their children’s Facebook pages and also warn parents that many children have two Facebook pages - one they show their parents and one they don’t.

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