West Village Burglar Steals Jewels Worth $94K From Homes: NYPD

WEST VILLAGE, NY — A burglar has been targeting homes in the West Village in recent months, entering local homes and stealing jewelry worth thousands of dollars, police said.

The burglar, who police have not identified, remains on the loose after stealing jewels and other valuables from at least six West Village homes so far this year, according to authorities. In total, the burglar is estimated to have stolen $94,450 worth of valuables.

The man began his burglary spree on Jan. 20, when he entered an occupied apartment near East 9th Street and University Place during the day and took jewelry worth $31,000 from the home, the NYPD said. Authorities don't know how he entered the apartment, but said he went inside between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

In February, the man allegedly burgled three apartments on the same West Village block, near the intersection of West 10th Street and Greenwich Avenue. On Feb. 9, the burglar made an early morning visit to one apartment on the block and took $1,300 worth of jewelry from the home, which he searched for valuables between 8 and 9 a.m. that morning while the apartments residents weren't at home, according to police.

That same day, the man burgled a neighboring apartment and took jewelry worth $9,200 sometime between 8:30 a.m. and 8:15 p.m., according to the NYPD's timeline. Around that time, the man also allegedly stole a $2,000 watch from a third apartment on the same block. Police say he robbed the third apartment between 8 a.m. on Feb. 6 and 10 a.m. on Feb. 10.

In March, two unlucky tenants caught the burglar in the act, confronting him as he stole a purse, earrings and cuff links from their home, police said. The man was searching through their apartment near Hudson and Barrow streets on March 7 at about 9:50 p.m. when the apartment's residents saw him take the valuables from their bedroom dresser, police said. The residents confronted the burglar, causing him to run from the apartment with the valuables in tow, officials said.

In total, the purse, cuff links and earrings were worth about $900, according to the NYPD.

Most recently, the burglar stole a jewelry box and jewels worth $50,000 from a Manhattan home while the home owners were inside sleeping, police said. The man is believed to have entered the home, located near West 11th Street and Fifth Avenue, on April 1 between 1:30 and 3:45 a.m. Once inside he allegedly took the jewelry box and jewelry before leaving.

Police are still searching for the serial burglar.

Image credit: Courtesy of the NYPD