Abington Township police warn residents after string of burglaries in Jenkintown

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WPVI) -- Residents in Jenkintown, Montgomery County, are on alert after several homes were targeted by burglars last week.

Two homes were burglarized Friday and thieves attempted to break into a third, according to Abington Township Police.

Now, detectives are working to determine if these incidents are connected to other recent burglaries in the Meadowbrook section, as well as other neighborhoods in the Philadelphia region.

Just before 7:30 p.m. on Friday, police said they believe two men broke into a home in the 300 block of Holmecrest Rd. through a window in the rear of the house and ransacked the second-floor bedrooms, taking items from the home. They believe the same people are responsible for an attempted burglary on the same block on the same night.

Then, roughly 30 minutes later, a home in the 1300 block of Fairacres Rd. was also broken into. The burglars allegedly climbed up to the second floor and broke a window to get into the residence, police said. However, after ransacking the master bedroom for items to steal, the thieves set off the alarm as they were leaving.

Surveillance video, which police have not released, shows the two men wearing hooded sweatshirts and gloves with their faces covered.

Detectives said all the burglaries have several similarities. They said the Abington burglaries have all occurred east of Old York Rd. and have all happened in the evening within the first two hours of darkness.

They also said that alarms and security cameras are a deterrent but note that the burglars have either found a way to bypass the alarms or get away after activating them.

Investigators believe the thieves are surveilling the neighborhood and choosing homes where they think no one is home.

"I've just heard that they've started in this area, which we kind of considered safer than safe," said Amy Freese of Elkins Park.

Police are also looking into burglaries in Philadelphia and Lower Moreland to see if there are similarities.

"I'm right down the street so yeah, of course it's a concern. Everyone within a 10-mile radius is concerned," said Jonathan Smolowe of Elkins Park.

Residents are encouraged to keep their homes well-lit, park their car in the driveway, as well as set their alarms and utilize security cameras. Burglars will normally target the master bedroom, so it is recommended to hide valuables in other areas of the home. Police are also said to be alert for suspicious people or vehicles in your neighborhood, and ask that if you see something -- especially around dusk -- call 9-1-1 to have an officer investigate.