As we move into the busy season at the beach, the Board wants to remind all community members that they need to be proactive in protecting their property and personal safety. At one time, many houses did not have locks. The Eastern Shore was considered immune from the crimes that occurred in the cities. Many residents still leave windows opened and doors unlocked. In 2016, several property owners had their unoccupied houses broken into and unlocked cars burglarized. We also had at least one incident when a stranger entered an occupied house.
We are also aware of another type of threat that has apparently migrated or is potentially migrating to seaside communities. The Board has been made aware of reports of home invasions and potential home invasions in the Delaware Beach communities. Recently there was an incident in Middlesex Beach which was suspicious. It concerned an interaction between a resident and a stranger. The individual requested access to the member’s bathroom. The member directed them to McDonald’s. The resident then notified our security. Our security has shared this information with the South Bethany and Delaware State police.
We recommend that all community members exercise extreme caution when interacting with any unknown individual(s) and we advise all community members to never grant access to their house to any stranger for any reason. If a stranger ever makes you feel uncomfortable or attempts to enter your property, we urge you to call 911.
We also advise that all members keep their automobiles and houses locked, especially at night.
The MBA Board