Burglary caught on homeowner's surveillance camera

LAWRENCE, Mass. – A burglar breaking into an empty house got away with dozens of pieces of jewelry last week in Lawrence. No one was home except for the homeowner's surveillance system, and now police hope they can use the video the catch the thief.

A Lawrence family’s home surveillance cameras were rolling as a suspect leapt out their back window on to a grill, and took off with a back pack full of their belongings.

“Inside I felt really sad cause I didn’t know he came into my house and took my stuff,” said Ariangely Burgos, whose home was burglarized.

The family set up surveillance cameras around their home after their front windows were constantly being smashed out, but instead they caught a thief taking their most precious items.

“He took my mom’s wedding rings and my mom’s watches and everything. I started to cry cause the robber took something of mine,” said Ariangely Burgos. “They took my DSI Excel, it’s a handheld game.”

Police say the suspect came to the house around 10 a.m. last Thursday and cased it out.

“Knock on the front door, he rang the bell. The individual stays there for several minutes, when no one comes to the door he goes around the back of the house,” said Chief John Romero of the Lawrence Police Department.

He then busted open the bedroom window and got inside, where he took his time and allegedly stole the jewelry and other items.

The police were thankful that the family had the cameras.

“Burglaries are crime that rarely is there any evidence of the person committing the crime. People come home and then they find their house has been burglarized. In some instances you have the fortunate neighbor might see something, but for the most part, people just come home and find their house burglarized, and it’s very difficult to investigate with the absence of any physical description or anyone sighting the person,” said Romero.

Even though it isn’t the best quality, the family and police are hoping the video will lead to a major break in the case.

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