Burglar Who Hit Homes In 3 Philly-Area Counties Sent To Prison

PHILADELPHIA — A Philadelphia man charged with breaking into Montgomery, Delaware, and Philadelphia county homes was sentenced to up to 16 years in prison, according to court records.

Raheem White, 43, of Philadelphia, was sentenced to 8 to 16 years behind bars for his role in a series of burglaries and attempted burglaries.

He pleaded guilty to counts of burglary, attempted burglary, indecent assault, and aggravated indecent assault in September 2022.

The crimes took place from mid-July 2020 through mid-January 2021.

Montgomery County prosecutors and several police departments throughout the region announced the charges against White in the spring of 2021.

Investigators said that the nine daytime residential burglaries and three attempted burglaries occurred in Lansdowne, Lower Merion, Cheltenham, Springfield, Upper Dublin, Jenkintown, and Philadelphia.

Three of the burglary incidents were particularly disturbing, as police said White had sexual interactions with the residents.

In one of the Montgomery County incidents, White ejaculated on a 102-year-old woman in the home, according to prosecutors.

In another case he placed his hands on a woman's body, and in another he attempted to kiss an elderly resident.

"Every burglary involves the loss of belongings, but it also steals the residents' sense of safety and well-being in their own home," Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said in a statement at the time of White's arrest last year. "And not only does this defendant break into people's houses in broad daylight, but he exposes himself and performs a sex act in front of a 102-year-old woman, who had a hard time returning to her home. What an egregious act."

Prosecutors had said that White targeted homes where cars were missing from driveways, and that he would attempt to determine whether anyone was home by first knocking on doors, and then gaining entry into the homes by smashing through windows and through other means.

In each of the cases, White ransacked bedrooms and stole items such as jewelry, cash and other easily transportable items.

Investigators discovered that a Mercedes-Benz driven by White was found to be in the area of each of the burglaries. Police also said cellphone data placed White at each of the residential locations.