Burglaries Surge in Rockaway as Residents Return After Hurricane Sandy

Increases up to 500 percent

Reported burglaries in the Rockaways have spiked as much as 500 percent so far this year as residents returning to homes and businesses damaged in superstorm Sandy continue to find their structures have been picked over by thieves, according to police.

Burglary reports dramatically escalated in the area immediately after the storm, but the increase has continued as locals regain access to their dwellings and take a close look at what has been lost while their homes were vacated, a police spokesman said.