Man Steals Tools Worth Thousands From 4 Washington Heights Buildings: Police

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — Police are searching for a man suspected of breaking into four residential buildings in Washington Heights and stealing tools worth thousands of dollars. In each of the robberies the man opted to break into utility rooms, boiler rooms and garages of the buildings rather than residential units, police said.

The man's robbery spree started Dec. 14 when he entered the boiler room of a residential building near St. Nicholas and Amsterdam avenues, stole tools worth $780 and fled the building, police told Patch. A week later on Dec. 21 the man entered a building near Fort Washington and St. Nicholas avenues and broke into a video room in the building, police said. The man then stole $150 in tools and fled the building.

The thief's biggest score came when he broke into a building near Fort Washington and St. Nicholas avenues on Dec. 20, police said. The man used and object to cut a lock leading into the building's basement and stole tools worth $1,650, police told Patch.

The man's most recent break-in occurred on Jan. 5 in a building near Haven Avenue and Broadway, police said. The man broke the lock leading into a utility room in the building and stole tools worth $1,128 before fleeing the building, police said.

Police described the suspect as a man in his 30s standing 5-foot-10 with a medium build.

Photo by NYPD