Rash of Burglaries Has Limerick Police Seeking Public's Help

A recent rash of daytime break-ins are being investigated by the Limerick Township Police Department and police are hoping the public can assist in catching the perpetrators. 

"Most of us know when our neighbors are home or at work, what car they drive," said Limerick Police Chief Bill Albany. "If you see a car you don't recognize, call 911 and tell the police."

Albany said the most common reason police hear for someone not calling is that they "didn't want to bother" the police or it "wasn't an emergency."

"More burglars are caught because a concerned neighbor said something," Albany said. 

Common factors

Most of the cases occuring in the township and in neighboring jurisdictions are in homes that are somewhat secluded, not in crowded subdivisions.

"Areas where you can still see your neighbors' house, but far enough maybe there are shrubs or trees in between," Albany said. 

The suspects are driving up to the house, and often will ring the doorbell to see if anyone is home before circling the house and breaking in through a window. 

If someone answers the doorbell. the thieves will have a cover story ready, claiming they came to the wrong house, are looking for a lost dog, or looking for children. 

Once inside, Albany said the thieves know where to look. 

"In the kitchen, where you put your rings when you wash your hands, the jewelry box in the bedroom, the laptop sitting on the desk - those are what they grab," Albany said.

"They [the thieves] think they can get in and out with no notice," Albany said.

Reaching out to the police department

911 is the best and fastest way to reach the police department. Albany explained that dispatchers are trained to judge what is and isn't an emergency and have protocols for handling all types of calls. 

A wider issue

Albany said that a common thread among burglars such as these is that they are often stealing to support a drug habit, so they go to a pawn shop where they can turn items around quickly for cash.

"If I arrest a guy who says he's stealing to feed his family, he'll be the first one I've arrested," Albany said. "Every one has been supporting a drug addiction."

"On a larger scale, we're working on legislation to regulate pawn shops' recordkeeping more carefully, to share a database of items. We're looking to attack the point where they're getting the cash," Albany said.

Drug turn-in boxes, such as Limerick's new county-owned box, are one way to combat drug addiction issues by removing potentially problematic prescription drugs from circulation. 

"If you see something..."

It sounds cliched but it's true. Albany said the best help they can have is from someone who sees a suspicious car or person and calls the police. 

"The message we really want to get out is, 'If you see something, say something,'" Albany said.