'It happens any time.’ Brentwood homeowners terrorized by persistent swatting
Jennifer Moritz and her wife have lived in the neighborhood for about six months. They say police have shown up at their door 15 times since Sept. 12 for emergency calls they never made.
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For weeks, the bright flashing lights of police cruisers have shattered the peace outside a Brentwood home at all hours of the day and night. But the homeowners inside haven't committed a crime - they are the victims of "swatting."
Jennifer Moritz and her wife have lived in the neighborhood for about six months. They say police have shown up at their door 15 times since Sept. 12 for emergency calls they never made.
"It happens any time, anything from one to three times a day, usually in the afternoon, but sometimes in the morning just to mix things up," Moritz said.
The terror began just after midnight on Sept. 12, when Moritz and her wife woke up to aggressive banging on their door and at least six police cars swarming their property. The initial emergency call falsely claimed someone had been kidnapped inside the home.
Officers searched the house and quickly cleared the couple, but the nightmare was far from over. Neighbors are taking notice of the chaotic and uncharacteristic police presence on the quiet street.
One longtime resident, who has lived in the neighborhood for 30 years, said she sympathizes with the couple and cannot fathom why anyone would target them.
David Sarni, a criminal justice professor at John Jay College, explained that modern technology has made this type of harassment increasingly difficult for law enforcement to stop.
"It's one of those crimes that happened as technology has improved; the ability to remain anonymous also improved," Sarni said, noting that perpetrators often use fake numbers to route calls into 911 systems.
Suffolk County police confirmed they are investigating the calls. However, Moritz says communication has been frustratingly slow, noting she had to reach out to her case detective for updates, ultimately contacting News 12 to get answers.
"Them ending in dead ends is the least that they can do," Morritz said. "And that, to me, is really scary because it's like, what do you mean? Like, I can't solve this. I can only do so much. I can't do anything."
Anyone with information can contact Suffolk County police.
