Howland, Niles police warn of rash of break-ins

By Ed Runyan

runyan@vindy.com

HOWLAND

Police from Howland and Niles are warning residents to be watchful for home burglars, as both communities have been hit hard with break-ins since April 1.

Paul Monroe, Howland police chief, said Howland’s northeast and southwest areas have been hit — streets such as Howland Springs, Stillwagon and Henn-Hyde, Howland-Wilson and Mines roads.

The southwestern part of the township, sometimes called the Bolindale area, was also hit hard.

In all, the township experienced 20 residential break-ins since April 1. In a normal month, the township has about two or three, Monroe said.

The targets appear to be homes that are a bit apart from neighbors, though not remote. And the burglars appear to be hitting during the day, apparently knocking on doors or otherwise checking out a home before breaking in.

They are using the front, side, back doors, taking anything easily accessible — flat-screen televisions, jewelry, small electronics, laptop computers — and getting out of the home quickly, the chief said.

They appear to be arriving in vehicles rather than on foot.

Monroe thinks it’s possible that two men responsible for the Bolindale-area robberies were captured last week.

Kristopher Henry, 22, of Arms Boulevard in Niles, and Zachary Keeley, 20, of Beckford Street, New Castle, Pa., both pleaded innocent last week in Warren Municipal Court to one felony charge each related to a burglary on Highlawn Avenue Southeast.

In that burglary, which occurred Thursday, one of the two was dropped off, went into the house and came out with stolen property, but a neighbor spotted them and called police, who captured them a short time later.

“Our citizens are solving a lot of crimes,” Monroe said, because they call police when they see something unusual, such as seeing someone unfamiliar, or see someone getting dropped off.

Howland and Niles detectives are working together, Monroe said, because burglaries in the two areas share some common characteristics, and Niles’ break-ins are also higher than normal — 19 since April 1.

Howland was not hit hard by burglaries in September and October last year, unlike in the townships of Warren, Vienna, Brookfield and Hubbard. Some of the tactics employed last year don’t appear to be in use in Howland, Monroe said.

Last year, burglars were breaking into garages and sheds, moving lawn equipment and tools to roadside locations and picking them up later.