Sgt. Jack Soberick, the officer in charge of the Lansford Police Department, issued the following statement regarding the frequency of burglaries in the community, with 16 occurring during September:

The residents of the borough of Lansford have recently been targeted by a person or persons who are apparently in need of money; this has resulted in what can be described as a rash of burglaries and other petty thefts throughout the borough.While the Lansford Police will not release specific details, so as not to compromise ongoing investigative efforts, it is important for residents to know that all possible investigative leads are being followed, the crime scenes are checked and processed for evidence wherever possible and the department has implemented other procedures to attempt to not only solve the crimes that have occurred, but also to prevent future occurrences.However, no police department can accomplish everything on their own; it is vital that citizens do their part and report suspicious activity when it is observed happening. I am also asking that the residents please call police if they see anything out of the ordinary. The most seemingly minor event can lead to arrests in what may be a totally unrelated serious crime.Also, citizens need to do their part and not make themselves an easy target for criminals. For instance, install motion detection lights around your property, keep lights you currently have around the exterior illuminated, put inside lights on random timers, do not let everyone know if you are going to be away, stop mail and paper deliveries and/or have trusted friends pick up deliveries and check the property. If possible, for residential properties, invest in audible alarms, businesses should have silent alarms, and security cameras are available at reasonable cost.Most importantly, lock your doors, both on your home and business and your vehicles. Please don't keep valuables in your vehicles and certainly do not keep large amounts of cash in your home or business, no matter how much you may think that it is hidden or secure.Finally, I am also asking that anyone who may have outdoor video cameras that capture images of the area near your home or business to please contact the Lansford Police.Rest assured that all efforts are being expended and directed to apprehend the people involved in these incidents.