Published: October 08, 2009 11:49 pm      

Be on the lookout, Mainline police urge

LILLY — Local police departments are asking the public to pay close attention to strange cars in their communities and report suspicious behavior following a spike in break-ins of homes, vehicles and even garden sheds.

“We’ve had it in every municipality, but especially Cresson Township,” said Cresson Township Officer Jim Hoenshell.

“We’ve had a very sharp increase.”

The number of burglaries of just about anything a person can get into has doubled during the past few months.

While Cresson Township seems to be the hot spot, the problems are on the increase in Washington Township and Lilly Borough, Hoenshell said.

The Cresson Township department provides police services in Lilly, Tunnelhill and Washington Township.

Police reported a theft Wednesday and three during the weekend, all in Cresson Township.

Following the crimes, residents have reported seeing people they did not recognize or vehicles that appear to be from out of the area.

“We have had reports of some suspect vehicles from out of Altoona, we think they may be coming up here to commit burglaries,” Hoenshell said.

Portage Borough reported an increase in crime during the past few weeks, but the cases have been solved, Portage police Chief Ed Miller said Thursday.

“All of ours have been cleared up. They were drug related and they involved locals,” Miller said.

In one case, a Portage man walked into the Sheetz on Main Street, grabbled a Relay for Life canister on the counter and ran out the door. He was later apprehended.

“A week before, the same guy did that in Sidman twice on the same night,” said Miller

Miller and Hoenshell reminded residents that the local departments have limited manpower and depend on the public to report suspicious activity or vehicles.

“When people see suspect vehicles in the area, people casing houses, suspect people walking around,” report it to the police, Hoenshell said.