Mount Airy residents on alert after brazen burglar hits several homes in the last several weeks

MOUNT AIRY - On alert and freaked out, after someone has been reported breaking into homes and stealing items. It has been happening for weeks in Mount Airy.

“I have cameras set up front and back door,” said Jeff Knarr, a resident in the Mount Airy neighborhood.

People are talking protection in Mount Airy.

“I take my steps to protect myself. I’m not gonna mention on camera, but hope no one would break into my house,” stated resident Jordan Chappelle.

Guards are up, but, unfortunately, that’s because burglaries are up, too. Several homes hit in the last two weeks, the most recent happened Thursday morning. Philadelphia police say a brazen burglar slipped into a woman’s home in the middle of the night on the 7100 block of Devon Street. The burglar snatched the keys to her white 2013 Toyota Prius and rode off with her car and her credit cards. Police say the burglar has already gone shopping.

“That’s surprising. That’s alarming,” Chappelle added.

Local father Chappelle doesn’t use the word “scary.”

“I can’t live in fear. Things happen in the inner city. It can happen anywhere, any block and I don’t want my daughter living in fear,” Chappelle explained.

Police want everyone to be extra careful. Investigators say some of these recent victims have come face to face with a man lurking around their home. The man said he thought the home was abandoned and then he took off.

“You said one happened down the block from you?” asked FOX 29’s Jennifer Joyce.

“Yeah on the first block of Durham,” Jeff Knarr replied.

Knarr says he has spent a lot of time in the neighborhood, but only moved to Mount Airy last spring.

“What made you move here?” Joyce asked.

“I really liked the neighborhood. I thought it was safe,” Knarr replied.