Police Officers Honored For Nabbing Abington Break-In Suspect

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA —The Abington Township Police Department is honoring several police officers for their recent work in apprehending a suspect who was loitering in a neighborhood.

The police department recognized D Platoon and its Traffic Safety Unit: Sgt. Welsh, Officer Ottenbreit, Officer Ray, Officer Belardo, Officer Galiczynski, Officer Martinez, Officer Posey, and Officer Coughlin.

Around 12:15 p.m. on Feb. 14, police received a report regarding a suspicious man loitering near the entrance of a residence within the neighborhood.

While police were en route, an update suggested the possibility that the man had broken into the residence. Upon arrival, Officer Ottenbreit noticed a shattered glass pane on the front door.

Additional units responded and secured the perimeter of the home.

The suspect initially refused to comply with commands to exit the premises with his hands raised, retreating inside before attempting to escape through the rear door.

However, he was intercepted by additional officers. He refused commands to surrender and attempted to flee to the side of the house, but his avenue of escape was blocked by officers who had positioned themselves strategically. It was at this point the male complied and was taken into custody without incident.

Following his arrest, a search of the suspect yielded stolen property from the residence, along with gloves, face masks, a counterfeit police badge, and handcuffs. Subsequent investigations unveiled the suspect's extensive criminal history, particularly in burglary and related offenses.