LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Police on the Main Line are warning about recent burglaries in the area, especially as people plan to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday.
"It’s always concerning, you’ve got kids, you want your neighborhood to be a safe place for them to hang out and play," says Jeannette Fournier, a Lower Merion Township resident. "There’s a little neighborhood group that has sort of formed, so we’re all texting each other and just keeping an eye out."
Lower Merion Police say they are investigating two burglaries within the past week.
They happened on Thursday, November 21st, on the 1300 block of Waverly Road in Gladwyne, and the following day on the 600 block of Winsford Road in Bryn Mawr. In both cases, police say the homes were forcibly entered and ransacked, valuables were taken, and the families were not home at the time.
2 South American thieves arrested as law enforcement works to end string of burglaries on Main Line
Police in Delaware and Montgomery counties say they arrested two thieves from South America who were targeting high-end homes in upscale neighborhoods and it's the latest in a string of thefts.
"We’re certainly investigating to see the connection of the burglaries as well as if they fit a larger pattern of burglaries," says Detective Sergeant Michael Keenan. "It’s the time of year where people travel, it’s getting darker earlier, it’s colder, we’re not necessarily paying attention to our surroundings as much."
Detective Sergeant Keenan says they are looking at whether this is South American Theft Group activity, which is not unique to the township. Witnesses reported two to four thieves in each case.
"Make sure that your home is well lit, that it looks like someone is living there, keep your lights on, timers, keep things like packages off your porch," he says.
Sudden increase in Main Line burglaries has police searching for suspects, residents on edge
Police say highly skilled thieves are targeting homes in and around the Main Line, scaling their way in through the second floor. Police say multiple homes have been hit in the last two weeks.
Talia Viroslav and her family are taking those extra steps after one of the crimes happened too close to home.
"I’ve been going around locking the door every time I come home, which we usually don’t really think about it too hard, but now, I’m making sure doors locked, alarm on, all the time," she says.
Lower Merion Police are reminding the community of their Vacant House Program. If you will be gone for more than 48 hours, you can call the department, report that your home is vacant, and they will do an extra security check.
If you have any information on the burglaries, police ask that you call 610-645-6228. More information on the Vacant House Program can be found on the website, here.