PBSO searching for burglar that HOA is calling 'the pillowcase bandit'

Article Courtesy of  Channel 12 News, Palm Beach

By Al Pefley

Published February 8, 2019

  

BOYNTON BEACH — Palm Beach County detectives are looking for a burglar who they say is breaking into homes in gated neighborhoods in West Boynton Beach.
      

They got a lucky break when they got a picture of the suspect on a homeowner’s surveillance camera.

A homeowner’s association has dubbed him “the pillowcase bandit.”

Officials say this man breaks into houses, grabs a pillowcase from a bedroom and fills it up with valuables.

And they’re doing their best to catch him.

“It doesn’t surprise me. in this day and age,” said Dave Grynberg, a resident of West Boynton Beach.

Dave Grynberg lives in a gated community.

CBS12 News showed him a photo that was provided to us by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office of “the pillowcase bandit.”

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office has been looking for this man for weeks. It says he's broken into as many as 10 homes in the past three months. It also appears he's targeting three or four different gated communities in the West Boynton Beach area.

After entering a house, he’ll go into the bedroom, take a pillowcase, then fill it with jewelry, coins and other small valuables.

Detectives say he’s in and out in a very short time.

“I think it’s very bizarre and I’ll have to look out for him,” said Diane Bloom, who also lives in a gated neighborhood in West Boynton Beach.

 

One HOA says sheriff’s detectives have gone to various gated neighborhoods, showing them the suspect’s photo hoping somebody recognizes him.

 PBSO searching for burglar that HOA is calling 'the pillowcase bandit'



“It's hard to believe that somebody like this is doing this,” said Carol Newman, another resident of a gated neighborhood in West Boynton Beach.

You might think gated communities would be safer.

“Somebody can walk in very easily,” Grynberg said.

“I mean he could walk in or he can maybe sometimes follow somebody in, sneak in,” Bloom said.

“It's scary that somebody like this is going around coming into our homes and here we have pictures of him, and we can’t catch him,” Newman said.

The sheriff’s office says although they have a photo of one guy, these break-ins could be the work of more than a single bandit.

“Just make sure I close all my doors and put on my alarm, ‘cause this is pretty scary,” Newman said.

“Let’s hope they catch him," Grynberg said. "What else could you say?”

A sheriff’s office spokeswoman says homeowners in this area should make sure if they’re away, they leave some lights on or a TV on, so it appears that someone is home.

The sheriff's office is calling this an active and ongoing investigation.

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