QUEENS — Cops are searching for a brazen serial burglar in Forest Hills who they say broke into several homes during the day and stole cash and jewelry.
The three burglaries occurred between Feb. 14 and April 8, and in each instance, a man entered a residential building north of Queens Boulevard during the day — between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. — and picked locks on apartment doors, the NYPD said.
The first break-in took place Feb. 14 at 99th Street and 65th Avenue, the second on April 2 at 113th Street and 77th Avenue and the last one occurred on April 8 at 112th Street and 72nd Drive.
Police described the suspect as a 45-to-50-year-old man, 5-foot-8, 250 pounds. He is balding and walks with a limp, cops said.
Capt. Thomas Conforti, commander of the 112 Precinct, said at a Community Board 6 meeting Wednesday that the burglary pattern was not related to a previous one in the area, which targeted private homes south of Queens Boulevard.
During the previous burglary spree, the thieves broke into nine homes located between Metropolitan Avenue and Fleet Street, and between 69th and 71st avenues, Conforti said.
Police said the burglars broke into houses by kicking in back doors. They took jewelry and cash, leaving behind items like iPads or laptops.
Conforti said the last incident that matched that pattern occurred on St. Patrick’s Day.
“Hopefully we made it a very unappealing area through our deployment over there,” Conforti said. “But it’s not a success until I catch the people responsible.”
He also said there were two other unrelated break-ins in the same area last week. In one instance, a bike was removed from a garage and in another, someone broke into a house that was being renovated, possibly seeking shelter during a cold evening, according to Conforti. Nothing was stolen from the house, he said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto Crime Stoppers' website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to CRIMES (274637), then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.
