Residents of a Camden County town are on edge after a rash of home burglaries.
Since Dec. 20, police say at least 16 break-ins and burglaries have taken place in three South Jersey communities.
In January, police arrested Kevin Dunleavy, 47, of Hamilton after he allegedly burglarized homes in Waterford, Atco and Evesham.
Police say another home in Waterford was targeted on Jan. 26. A man caught two masked burglars inside his house on 5th and Elmwood, according to investigators.
Police say the suspects were captured after the man and other neighbors chased them down the street. The two suspects ended up giving up the names of four others, cops said.
The latest incident occurred last Thursday in Waterford. Mike Morrison, a longtime wholesale deli meat distributor, was heading to work around 5:45 a.m. when he was approached by two armed men wearing ski masks, according to police.
“He put a gun to my head, put a gun to my back and put my hands behind me,” said Morrison.
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The men then allegedly blindfolded him and forced him inside his own home as his wife slept.
“They got me downstairs and they hogtied me with duct tape,” said Morrison.
Morrison claims he told the men where to find $800 in cash stashed away inside the house. The men allegedly stole the money and then fled the scene. The suspects were still on the loose Tuesday morning.
Investigators believe Thursday’s incident is unrelated to the other recent break-ins and robberies in the area. Police say they’ve stepped up patrols in the neighborhood and are asking the community to report any suspicious activity.
