Three Roslyn businesses were victims of vandalism last week. The proprietors of North Shore Graphic Arts, Village Deli, and Long Island Auto Parts, all located on Warner Avenue, reported such acts to Sixth Precinct police personnel.

All three violations took place within four days of each other. On Thursday morning, March 7, Long Island Auto Parts had a window broken, and then, strangely enough, boarded up by a perpetrator before employees had reported to work. The store's owner, Jim Mortimer, said the perpetrator broke the window by using wood planks from a piece of shrubbery that stands in front of the store. Sixth Precinct police told Mr. Mortimer that the quick boarding up operation happened because the perpetrator may have hit the auto parts store by accident.

The other acts of vandalism took place either late Saturday night, March 9 or early Sunday morning, March 10. Both Village Deli and North Shore Graphic Arts were victimized. Jeff Sanderoff, proprietor of North Shore, said his front door was broken, but no burglaries took place. The same thing was repeated at Village Deli and Long Island Auto Parts: broken glass, but nothing taken from the building. Mr. Sanderoff said that this was the second time in the past nine months, and the third time in the past year-and-a-half that his store had been vandalized.

The Warner Avenue incidents occurred as both elected officials and residents in the Roslyn area have come together to discuss a rash of burglaries that have taken place in the area during the past several months.

If there's a burglary problem in the Roslyn area, it seems to be confined to the Village of East Hills. Last week, the village held a well-attended meeting to discuss why a rise in burglaries has occurred and what local citizens can do about it. However, officials with other villages in the area say that no similar problems exist within their jurisdiction.

In January, there were no reported burglaries in the Village of Roslyn Estates; the only instance of larceny was a theft from the inside of a parked car. The same was true concerning burglaries in December 2001 as well. In fact, the only reported burglary took place in August, when, apparently the homeowner was on an extended vacation.

Likewise, homeowners in the Village of Roslyn Harbor have seen no burglaries during the month of January. Village officials say that one burglary took place in December 2001 and two more occurred in November, but this does not indicate any worrisome trends.

According to Sixth Precinct reports, no burglaries took place in the Village of Roslyn during January, while Roslyn Heights had one burglary in that month. On either the evening of Feb. 16 or the morning of Feb. 17, a burglary took place at a residence on Mott Avenue in Roslyn. Earlier in the month, the Shari Lynn Leasing Co., also in Roslyn, was burglarized.

During the first two months of January, an upswing in burglaries did not take in the area, but they occurred almost entirely in East Hills, Greenvale, and Glen Head. The latter two villages are located in the vicinity of the East Hills area.

At the East Hills meeting, which took place at Harbor Hill School, Nassau County police officials said that there is always a small group of professional burglars in circulation throughout the island. Officer George Morrish said that such individuals have been reading about the freeze in police hirings due to the county's fiscal problems, a situation that has emboldened them to increase their activities. Police officials said concerned residents should call 911 over any suspicious sightings.

In addition, residents should practice forms of deterrence. This includes keeping front yard shrubbery low as a way to keep burglars from sneaking to the front door. If homeowners do not have a dog, then they should keep materials in their backyard that would make a would-be burglar think they own a dog. That in itself sends burglars off to a new destination. Finally, since burglars, once they break into a house, head straight to the master bedroom in search of jewelry and loose bills, residents should hide such valuables in the basement or attic, places in the house where burglars fear to tread.