Caught On Camera: Man Sneaks Into Neighbor's Attic, Peers Into Bedroom Through Vent
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A man was caught on camera sneaking into his neighbor's attic and peering into his bedroom through a vent.
Surveillance video from Jerome Kennedy's camera captured who he believes is his neighbor Robert Havrilla, 69, in his attic in July.
Kennedy says he only noticed Havrilla creeping around his attic when his 10-month-old daughter was first born.
"It shows him removing a false wall that he engineered, climbing onto my ceiling, above my baby's crib, and he lies on some planks that he put there, in my ceiling," said Kennedy.
Kennedy lives on North Taylor Avenue on the Mexican War Streets on the North Side. Havrilla owns a home directly next door. Last month, Kennedy says he heard someone above his bedroom on multiple occasions and even saw flashlights coming down through his vent.
"The only thing I can assume is he's watching my baby, my wife, or myself," Kennedy said.
KDKA's Amy Wadas: "You've never given him permission to go into your attic?"
Kennedy: "No. He was actually warned two days earlier to stay out of there."
When police questioned Havrilla, he said he couldn't get into the space without a ladder and denied going onto the victim's property.
Footage shows Havrilla entering the victim's attic with a drill and a light. He then lies down on top of a vent that is directly above the victim's baby's crib and the victim's bed. Havrilla appears to drill a hole near the vent, and he is seen staying there for about half an hour. He then leaves the crawl space and goes back to his own property.
Havrilla appeared in court on Wednesday and waived his right to a preliminary hearing. His attorney said they got the luring charge dropped.
"I think it will come out soon that he did not have a malicious intent at all. I think it was an innocent situation that is getting drug out a little further than it should, but that will come out soon," Havrilla's attorney, Anthony Jackson, said.
"It's very disheartening to feel violated in this way that somebody can come in and disrupt the sanctity of my home, it's indescribable," Kennedy said.
Kennedy said he's also noticed mysterious drill holes in the common brick wall that he and his neighbor share. He said he's questioned Havrilla about that before, and said Havrilla told him he was doing construction.
Havrilla's attorney said his client will be headed to trial on other charges including burglary. His formal arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 3 at the courthouse downtown.
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