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SPD concerned about Capitol Hill burglar who doesn’t seem to mind if you’re home

CHS has more information on concerns related to a series of burglaries and attempted break-ins in the area just east of Volunteer Park in which authorities say a burglar seems to be unconcerned that people are sleeping inside the homes the thief is targeting.

“What has been unusual is that some of these burglaries have been occupied,” SPD crime prevention coordinator Mark Solomon tells CHS. “People have been home.”

CHS reported details of some of the area’s recent reported break-ins here. In one, a thief was able to enter a home and steal electronics and a purse as the family slept. The family dog, apparently, didn’t make a peep.

The victim in that crime and Solomon both told CHS there have also been additional reports of suspicious activity in the area.

Solomon said he met with victims and neighbors to talk about the break-ins, the investigation and tips for preventing more burglaries. He also said burglary detectives have a “person of interest” they believe is connected to the crimes but Solomon said he didn’t have any more information to share about the individual at this time.

Perhaps the simplest, most effective preventative measure residents can take, Solomon said, is making sure to lock ground-floor windows and doors. He said that nearly 50% of recent break-ins around the city that he’s looked into involved burglars gaining entry simply by opening a door or a window.

Meanwhile, no word if another burglary in the area near 19th and Prospect is related to the string. The circumstances for the break-in the weekend of the 7th are quite a bit different — the burglar targeted the Body Balance shop by accessing the keys to the building in a fire department lockbox and the proceeded to tear through a sheetrock wall to gain access to the store. No word on what if anything was stolen but the SPD police reports that the place had been torn apart as the thief looked for items of value. CHS has reported on the weakness of some of these boxes being linked to burglaries across Capitol Hill.

We also reported this week on Capitol Hill’s 2010 crime trends. The northern area of the Hill has been remarkably steady as far as burglaries go since 2008. The numbers haven’t climbed — 163 reported in 2008, 150 in 2009, and 158 in 2010 — but, of course, they haven’t dropped either.

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COMTE
COMTE
12 years ago

This same MO was used in a home break-in at a friend’s house in the CD about a week and a-half ago: perp walked right in the front door while she was upstairs and grabbed a lap top & cell phone off the dining room table, apparently leaving several other electronic items alone, even though they were in plain sight.

Down the hill
Down the hill
12 years ago

I woke up at 5am to find a burglar (bed intruder?) in my apartment on Melrose n Pine a few days ago. Shouted at him and he bolted out the door. Dunno if it’s related, but it was pretty scary.