There were two break-ins recently at 322 and 310 South Lang Avenue in South Point Breeze.  On Saturday, May 17 between 4:30 and 5pm, a black male broke into the basement of 322 South Lang via a window.  He took a bicycle (with two flat tires) from the basement, then moved up to the first appt level and took a 42″ TV.  He took bedsheets, wrapped the flatscreen in the sheets, balanced it on the flat-tire bike, and walked it down South Lang toward Penn Ave.  A concerned neighbor even stopped to help him as it looked like he was having trouble balancing the “painting” he was moving.  He smelled of alcohol.

On May 31 (also a Sat night) between 10:30 and 11pm, a black male with graying, dreadlocked hair pulled into a ponytail, approximately 6′4″ and weighing 170 lbs broke into the detached garage of 310 South Lang Avenue.  He went in through a side window, took out two bikes and started walking them down the driveway.  At about that time, I let the dog out (end of Penguins game) and he started going crazy.  I ran outside and saw the black male standing in the middle of the street yelling at the dog.  At the same time, the resident of 322 South Lang (next door neighbor to 310) ran outside and saw the man standing in the road.  The resident from 322 ran to the middle of the road and cracked the man in the middle of the back, sending him flying over the bikes and sprawling onto the pavement.  The burglar ran down S Lang toward Penn as fast as he could once he got off the ground.

These two incidents are likely the same criminal.  In talking to the police, they have a very good idea of who the man is as he was arrested recently at the Squirrel Hill Café for not paying a bill.  I commend the local officer (himself a resident of South Point Breeze) for taking the time to follow up on this matter and come up with a likely suspect.  There were many eye witnesses to the May 31 incident, so there is good information on the physical description.  He did not seem to be armed, and was unusual in that he was older (believed to be about 50 years old according to the police information).

Please be cautious as you see suspicious persons near your home.