Stolen Keys Used In Five Burglaries

Nov. 27, 2013
The thief entered a locker area where duplicate keys to about 140 units in a Pennsylvania apartment complex were kept. It's not clear how many keys were taken, but management is frantically changing the locks.

Nov. 26--JOHNSTOWN -- West Hills Regional Police said a thief with a key burglarized two more apartments at a Lower Yoder Township apartment complex, bringing the total to five burglaries in nearly two weeks.

During that time, several thousand dollars in money and jewelry have been taken, police said.

Police said tenants at Norwood Gardens/Edwards Hill Apartments on Goucher Street are increasingly on edge.

"The security system has been compromised," police Sgt. George Musulin III said on Monday.

Police said the thief entered a locker area where duplicate keys to about 140 units were kept.

It's not clear how many keys were taken, but management now is frantically changing the locks.

"It's not a good situation," Musulin said. "We have been investigating this very tenaciously."

In the latest incidents, a thief entered an Edwards Hill apartment in Building 8 on Saturday and rummaged through a woman's belongings.

"There was no forcible entry," Musulin said. "A key was used, but nothing was taken."

Tenants from a second apartment reported someone entered their home when they were away and made off with jewelry, Musulin said.

On Sunday, the thief tried to use the key to enter an apartment in Building 1 while the elderly tenants were home.

"Once the perpetrator realized the apartment was occupied he fled the scene," Musulin said.

Alan Podrasky, rental agent for the complex, did not return a telephone call on Monday.

One resident who did not want her name published said she was concerned about her 90-year-old neighbor.

Police urge residents before they leave their apartments to turn on the television or stereo and, if necessary, to change the deadbolt locks themselves.

Patrick Buchnowski is a reporter with The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on twitter.com/ PatBuchnowskiTD.

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