Woman with children burglarizes Kensington residents

KENSINGTON (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police are trying to locate a woman who's been committing brazen burglaries in Kensington.

Police say the woman seen on surveillance video committing a burglary on the 2900 block of North 3rd is a conniving crook who preys on the elderly.

"She came to my house and said, 'You know me' and I said, 'I don't know you.' She said, 'Yeah, you know me,'" victim Olga Marrero said.

Marrero says the suspect came to her house a week ago with a baby in hand.

Marrero was leery, but still allowed the woman into the house.

"She said, 'Can I use the bathroom because I am bleeding? I have a surgery and I am bleeding.' I said, 'OK,'" Marrero said.

Marrero says the woman went upstairs and then left, but not before giving Marrero a kiss on the check.

Marrero soon realized a piggy bank was gone.

"I have a lot of pennies. She didn't get the pennies. She got the quarters," Marrero said.

Neighbor Bernelda Nieves has a similar story.

Last Thursday, the suspect came to her house claiming she was an old neighbor.

This time with her 5-year-old child.

She allegedly told Nieves she needed a Band Aid. Nieves went upstairs.

"When I went upstairs she took my purse, my daughter's purse, and I didn't notice it," Nieves said.

Police say the suspect burglarized five homes on the 3300 block of Mascher just this month.

She's also wanted for four other similar crimes in the neighborhood.

Marrero's piggy bank contained $300; it was money saved for Christmas gifts for her grandkids, one with a serious illness.

She says she and her husband have been saving that money since January.

Police know who the suspect is and she's expected to be arrested on a slew of charges Wednesday.

Action News is not naming her because she hasn't yet been formally charged.