Police Believe Suburban Philadelphia Homes Being Targeted By Organized Theft Ring: 'You Don't Think Of It Happening Here'
RADNOR, Pa. (CBS) -- Police say homes in Bucks, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties are being targeted by an organized theft ring. Burglaries in sevens towns may be connected, with the latest happening in Radnor.
Police are warning homeowners to be vigilant and look out for suspicious activity after a second home burglary was reported in Radnor in as many weeks.
"You don't think of it happening here," said Ben Wagner, who works in Radnor.
Video shows as a suspect walks to the rear of a home in Radnor as a second person looks around. They then appear to smash the lower part of the rear glass door.
Once inside, police say the suspects ransack a bedroom closet and take off with an undisclosed amount of high-end jewelry before an alarm goes off.
It happened on Jan. 13 on Ivy Lane.
Then, just this past Friday, police say suspects got into another Radnor home -- also through a rear glass door -- over on the 800 block of Parkes Run Lane before burglarizing it as well.
Neighbors are alarmed.
"It does surprise me," Kay Mooney said.
"We're right by the police station," Grace Snyder said.
Radnor police are now working to find if the two incidents are connected.
"They get in and out of these houses pretty fast," Warrington Police Chief Daniel Friel said.
But Warrington police say there are similarities to those home break-ins and ones that happened recently in Warrington, Abington and several other areas.
"All the houses they hit, nobody was home," Friel said.
All the burglaries happen between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Also similar is how the alleged thieves get into the homes.
"It was the same thing," Friel said. "It was either a rear sliding door, somewhere that was out of sight of their neighbors, or it was a rear window where they gain access to. It was a quick break and enter."
Police offer these tips.
- Install lighting with motion sensors around your property
- Avoid posting vacation photos on social media while you're away
- If on vacation, make your home appear it's being lived in
"You always want to make your residence look occupied," Friel said.
Police believe up to eight people may be involved in the burglary ring that's been targetting suburban homes since at least November, but so far no arrests have been made.
