Police in Montgomery County are on the lookout for a man suspected of office thefts in at least four states who was last seen in the Fort Washington area, according to authorities.
Gerald Broadwater, 61, allegedly stole items including laptops from 10 office buildings last month -- including one heist that netted about $30,000 worth of cash, according to Upper Dublin Township Police.
He is so quiet and comfortable during the alleged thefts that he has become known as the “Office Creeper,” officials said.
"When we did some research into him we found out that he's wanted in various states and he has nicknames as being a laptop burglar," Upper Dublin Police Det. Michael Gommer said.
His reputation is that he casually hangs out in office parks -- hiding in plain sight -- and targets computers and cash, according to officials.
"He does surveillance, he watches comings and goings and he also checks to see what the most ideal time's to commit the burglaries," Gommer said. "He gains entry to the office buildings normally when cleaning staff is present."
Broadwater, who also goes by the first name “Frank,” was first implicated of stealing thousands in laptops from the Fort Washington Office Park on Jan. 11, according to Patch.com.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
After that incident, police say they warned local businesses to be on the lookout for the suspect.
On Jan. 19 a cleaning crew in one local office spotted the suspect and alerted police, officials said.
Police say they pulled over a white Lexus with Georgia plates driven by Broadwater. But after handing officers an ID for "Frank Broadwater," the suspect ran off on foot, according to cops.
He was last spotted a few hours later around 1 a.m. on Jan. 20 trying to check into a nearby hotel. Police went out to investigate but found no sign of the accused thief after he allegedly ducked out of a basement exit.
Since then, the so-called "Office Creeper," who has been implicated in burglaries in New Jersey, North Carolina and Georgia -- as documented by NBC affiliate WXIA-TV -- has remained on the loose.
An arrest warrant was issued for Broadwater after a search of his car turned up some stolen items -- some from this area -- and possible goods from other places.
Broadwater is described as a black male about 6-foot-2-inches tall and about 205 pounds. He is considered armed and dangerous. If you know about his whereabouts please contact Upper Dublin Police at (215) 646-2100.
