Three Burglaries, One Attempted Break-In Reported

Three recent residential burglaries and a fourth incident in which someone unsuccessfully tried to break into a house are under investigation by Lawrence Township police, according to Lt. Charles Edgar.

Edgar provided the following information about the crimes:

Zoar Street

At 7:34 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 10, a 59-year-old resident of Zoar Street phoned police to report that he had just returned home from work to find his front door ajar and his home “rummaged through.”

Stolen were a laptop computer, television, cell phone, small tools and other property worth an estimated total of $1,200.

A window – through which the burglar may have gained entry – was found open. The break-in was believed to have taken place between 9:45 p.m. on Jan. 9 and about 7:30 a.m. on Jan. 10.

Hazelhurst Avenue

At 8:42 p.m. the following Tuesday, Jan. 17, a 65-year-old resident notified police of a burglary to a home on Hazelhurst Avenue, which intersects with Zoar Street . Stolen was about $600 worth of small electronics, including a camera, cell phone and laptop computer.

The crime took place that evening between 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Entry to the residence was gained by way of a bedroom window.

Police are attempting to identify an individual who was seen riding away from the area on a bicycle as the victim returned home to discover the break-in. That possible suspect was described only as a man whose race was unknown who was wearing an orange hooded sweatshirt.

Graf Avenue

At 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 18, an 82-year-old resident of Graf Avenue contacted police to report that she had just found evidence that someone had tried to break into her home.

Screens were removed from multiple windows and a piece of lawn furniture had been moved and placed next to one of the windows, as if the would-be burglary had stood on it to better reach the window.

Nothing was missing and it appeared that no entry to the house was ever gained. The break-in attempt is believed to have taken place sometime between 7 p.m. on Jan. 17 and about 10 o’clock that morning.

Trumbull Avenue

At 5:32 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 18, police received a call from a 44-year-old resident of the 700 block of Trumbull Avenue who reported that he had just returned home and found that someone had broken in via a basement window.

The victim reported that about $1,000 in cash and a small amount of jewelry – the value of which was not immediately known – had been stolen sometime between 8:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. that day.

Lawrence Township Police ask anyone with information about any of the above crimes to call them at (609) 896-1111.