Police seek tips as New Hope business burglar strikes again

New Hope Police say that a burglar being sought for two recent break-ins of downtown businesses struck again three times sometime early Friday morning.

The thief attempted to enter Lion’s Den Tattoo Studio on Ney Alley by throwing a brick through a rear window facing the towpath along the Delaware Canal, police said. The offender failed to enter the establishment, perhaps fearing the jagged shards of glass remaining in the window frame, or noticing a security camera high along the opposite wall.

Surprisingly, no one in the mixed commercial/residential neighborhood reported hearing any loud noises to police.

The burglar then left Ney Alley and broke into the nearby Surrender lingerie store at 11-A W. Mechanic St. The thief gained entry by pushing in an air conditioner in a side window, and took a small amount of cash from the register. They then entered an unlocked apartment in the rear of the store, making off with around $25 from a wallet, apparently while the occupant was sleeping.

The burglar also broke into Jaffron Indian restaurant at 11 W. Bridge St. through a rear window, again targeting the cash register.

Police say all three burglaries took place after midnight Friday, and that they believe they were committed by the same burglar who recently struck two other New Hope businesses.

The first break-in took place on the 100 block of South Main Street when an unidentified culprit entered an establishment through an unsecured window. Several items were thrown onto the floor, police said, but nothing was taken.

That burglary occurred sometime between 10 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 20, and 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21. There were no witnesses or surveillance video in the burglary, according to police.

The second previous burglary occurred on North Main Street near West Bridge Street on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 1:45 a.m. The actor gained access to the business by removing a window air conditioner unit, and removed approximately $2,000 from the cash drawer, police said.

The perpetrator was caught on surveillance video, and appeared to be a white male, approximately six feet tall, with a thin build, and wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, gray sweat pants, light-colored sneakers, black jacket, black mask, and black gloves.

He left through the window, then ran south on North Main Street and continued running west on West Bridge Street.

New Hope Police ask that anyone who may have information about the identity of the offender or noticed anything unusual or suspicious in the area of the burglaries submit an anonymous tip or call them at (215) 862-3033 or (215) 348-7400.