DRUGS MOTIVE BEHIND BURGLARIES

Even with high rates of unemployment this holiday season, Lower
Moreland Detective Sgt. John MacDonald said the increase in burglaries
in the township can be attributed to something other than the sinking
economy - narcotics.

"These people aren't your average Joes that were laid off and are now
breaking into homes for money," he said. "This is an increase in
crimes related to drugs rather than burglaries."

Although MacDonald said a rise in break-ins is expected during the
holiday season, the difference this year is the police are putting the
offenders behind bars.

"The solvability rate for burglaries is very low," he said. "It's
always hit and miss and this year it's just hit."

Robert Bernstein, 31, of the 3900 block of Carteret Drive in
Philadelphia, was charged with burglary - a felony - earlier this
month for the Nov. 11 burglary of a home in the 3800 block of Martin
Road.

Bernstein's palm print was an exact match to one found on the window
of the home, MacDonald said, adding that a large part of solving cases
is processing the scene.

Approximately $15,000 worth of jewelry and electronics were taken from
the home, he said, adding that Bernstein admitted to selling the items
for drugs.

He was wanted for numerous burglaries in Bucks County and, because of
that, is in Bucks County prison.

Although processing the scene is a major key in finding offenders,
MacDonald said witnesses are probably the most important.

"People know their community and they know if something that is
happening is not normal," he said of suspicious people or automobiles
in neighborhoods. "It's always better to just call the police and have
us come check it out."

On Nov. 19, the day after a home on the 400 block of Sugar Mill Road
was burglarized, a neighbor walking her dog called police after seeing
a man she thought was entering a home, police said.

The man, Matthew Firn, 22, of the 400 block of Hartel Avenue in
Philadelphia, was stopped and admitted to breaking into the home the
day before, police said.

Some of the items missing from the home were recovered at a pawnshop
where Firn sold them for drug money, MacDonald said.

While being interviewed, Firn admitted that 22-year-old Anthony
Dietrich, of the 8200 block of Elberon Avenue, Philadelphia, was also
with him when they entered the home.

Both have a history of burglaries in Philadelphia County and were
charged with burglary, MacDonald said. They are being held in the
Montgomery County Correctional Facility.

With noted increases in break-ins in Upper Southampton and Upper
Moreland in the past few months, MacDonald said all offenders are
looking for the same thing - easy targets.

"They just want to be in and out of there as quick as possible," he
said.

Homes without security systems that have high fences and dense shrubs
covering windows and doors are appealing, he said. The house's
configuration and the age of windows and doors is also something
burglars take into consideration, he added.

Although more recent burglaries indicate that there is still a person
or group in the area committing the crimes, MacDonald said Lower
Moreland's communication with neighboring municipalities might aid in
future arrests.

"The burglaries in Upper Moreland and Southampton look a lot like the
ones happening here," he said. "There are a lot of personal belongings
taken."

The majority of the break-ins are occurring along or right off of the
Byberry Road and County Line Road corridors, MacDonald said.

Although the townships don't have enough evidence to link the crimes
yet, the location and scenes indicate there could be overlap.

"Upper Moreland could arrest someone in a month or two that could
solve some of our burglaries here," MacDonald said. "We just need to
be in communication."

In recent years the spikes in burglaries in November and December tend
to level off and decrease in January and February, he added.