Four people were arrested Saturday night for allegedly breaking into a vacant home on Willow Drive, off 13th Street and Drexel Ave.
The police department received a call around 11:45 p.m. Dec. 8 from a neighbor who reported seeing a car down the street from the vacant home, according to the department logbook. Four people then exited the car and went into the home with flashlights.
A police officer arrived and saw them fleeing the home through a window, according to the logbook. Police later found liquor bottles and drug paraphernalia inside the house.
After fleeing the scene, they returned to retrieve their car. An officer was parked near the car and arrested them.
Eve Zych has seen incidents like this in the past. Zych, who used to live near the Willow Drive subdivision, says vacant homes are often a target of break-ins.
"More often than not, teenagers would be the ones to break in to the various vacant homes near my house. I don't think they realize how serious of a crime that is," Zych said.
Others have seen a similar problem with houses built in newly-developed neighborhoods.
"There were two separate break-ins to our family's house as it was being built last year," said Nelson Hansley, a Franklin resident. "No major damage was done, but I think it's still a very serious situation. That’s still someone's property."
