Westtown-East Goshen police are hoping someone will recognize this individual, who allegedly posed as a salesman and attempted to break into a home.”‘
Police seeking ID of Thornbury suspect, believed to have posed as salesman
He looks like a clean-cut businessman, but surveillance video suggests he wanted to clean a house of its valuables, a goal effectively deterred by a homeowners’ alarm system, according to Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police.
The department is investigating a residential daytime attempted burglary that occurred in the 1200 block of Surrey Road in Thornbury Township on Tuesday. Police said the homeowner, who left the residence between 2:45 and 3:30 p.m., returned to find that the alarm panel indicated tampering had occurred with the garage door.
When the homeowner checked the home’s exterior, a latex glove was found in the rear of the home. The homeowner checked the video surveillance system, which provided insight into the would-be intruder’s strategy, which typifies an approach labeled by authorities as “knock-knock burglaries,” police said.
The video showed a white male wearing a blue dress shirt, tie, dark dress pants, and dark shoes approached the front door carrying a messenger-type bag over his right shoulder, police said. The man knocked on the front door at 2:46 p.m. and then went to the rear of the residence and knocked on the rear door. If a homeowner had answered, the man would have likely been prepared with a reason for his presence, such as a sales pitch or need for directions.
The camera system showed that this individual left the property and then returned 15 minutes later without the shoulder bag and wearing latex gloves, police said. The video system captured him attempting to force open the rear entry door into the single-family residence; he fled on foot when the alarm activated, police said.
A neighbor reported seeing a blue/silver sedan parked on Surrey Road about the same time as the burglary. Police believe the suspect posed as a solicitor and is asking any resident who may have had contact with him to call Det. William Cahill at 610-692-5100.
