Residents At Yaphank Condo Community On Edge After Series Of Break-Ins

YAPHANK, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Police are investigating a number of break-ins inside a condominium community on Long Island.

There have been at least five burglaries and three attempted break-ins over the last two weeks at the Whispering Pines condos in Yaphank, WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported.

One resident said he was asleep on his couch last Thursday when the thief removed a screen and crawled in through an unlocked window.

"I had just had open heart surgery," Charles Muller said. "I was 10 feet away. Luckily I didn't wake up. I probably would have died because I just had the surgery."

Muller said when he woke up he noticed the back door was open and a chair had been propped up to allow the burglar access to the kitchen window.

His next door neighbor said he believes the burglar has tried to get into his condo a number of times because he has spotted footprints in his garden.

"Probably steps on top of my central air conditioning unit, checks the window to see if it's open or not," he said. "I've been living here for 30 years and nothing like this has ever happened before so the whole neighborhood is pretty nervous."

Cash, cellphones and food were taken, police said.

"I think it's somebody who needs a fix and needs cash, and they just doesn't care," said Muller.

One resident did manage to get surveillance footage of the suspect, but so far police have not released the video, CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reported.

"I saw a young kid, really couldn't see his face because he had a hood on his face," said Kelley Watts.

Watts said she viewed the neighbor's surveillance video after the burglar tried to get through her kitchen screen, only to find she'd locked the window. She said the suspect relies on his cellphone light.

"The cellphone was used to show light on the screen of the back doors to see if he could get in," Watts said.

Neighbors suspect the burglar is someone in the complex who knows his way around.

Unable to sleep, Muller said he's armed himself with a heavy walking stick and says other neighbors have firearms at the ready.

"It could be tragic for that person if you pick the wrong house, believe me," he said.

But police advise against confronting the burglar.

"That includes leaving the home and then trying to call 911 or alerting a neighbor," said Sgt. Dean Joseph, with the Suffolk County Police Department.

For now, as the investigation continues, police are stepping up patrols around the complex.