Police Track Down Oakland Burglary Suspect, Say He May Be Connected To Similar Incidents
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Meyran Avenue in Oakland is a neighborhood occupied mostly by Pitt college students.
It was in the 300 block where two students reported, late last month, that someone came into their apartment through an unlocked side door. The victims weren't home at the time, and the suspect made off with electronic devices, including a computer, Xboxes and controllers.
Surveillance video from inside the apartment showed the intruder. He was described as an African American male, with light brown hair in braids. He was wearing blue jeans, a black hoodie and a black jacket.
Based on that video and description, plus two suspicious phone calls made to the apartment the night of the burglary, police on Thursday arrested 24-year-old Calvin Henderson, of Mt. Oliver.
Henderson now faces burglary and several other related charges.
Over the summer, police reported another burglary. They said that theft also took place in the 300 block of Meyran Avenue.
Investigators said a man with a similar description, sporting a slight "chin strap" beard, walked into an apartment after following the residents inside the building.
While the occupants were asleep, the intruder stole a flat-screen TV, a laptop computer and two wallets. Then, using stolen credit cards, the suspect walked into a nearby drug store, and was caught on a surveillance camera making several purchases.
At the time, police indicated the burglar may have been familiar with that particular Oakland neighborhood and committed similar crimes before.
"We have had, over the course of the past year, several burglaries in that neighborhood, a few have been overnight, like this one, so it's quite possible that this gentleman has committed more than one overnight burglary," Pittsburgh Police Sgt. William Vollberg said.
Right now, it's too early to say if Henderson is connected to the previous burglary, or any other recent ones in that neighborhood.