MONTGOMERY CO, PA – Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Lower Providence Township Police Chief Michael Jackson announce the arrest of Junine Garnett, 21, of Norristown, for multiple overnight residential burglaries and attempted burglaries throughout Montgomery County.
The defendant was located and arrested by U.S. Marshals on May 18, 2021 at a Market Street residence in Harrisburg, Pa. Eight burglaries and eight attempted burglaries, all with occupants asleep in the homes, occurred between Aug. 17, 2020 and Sept. 24, 2020. The incidents occurred in Collegeville Borough, East Norriton Township, Lower Providence Township, Trappe and West Norriton Township in Montgomery County. The multi-jurisdictional investigation of these burglaries was led by Lower Providence Township and involved the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, Pennsylvania State Police and police from Collegeville, East Norriton, Norristown and West Norriton.
The investigation found that there was a common plan or scheme to these burglaries and attempts. The defendant gained entry to homes via unlocked windows and doors, and once inside, he ransacked various rooms in the homes and stole easily transported items, primarily cash, jewelry, valuable documents and purses.
The attempted burglaries were in the same areas as other homes that were burglarized on the same night. In those incidents, police found homeowner video surveillance that showed the defendant trying to find unsecured doors or windows to gain entry to the home. When the defendant found none, he moved on to a neighboring home.
In one overnight burglary on Sept. 24, 2020 on 8th Avenue in Collegeville, the burglar was confronted by a homeowner. He immediately fled, leaving behind a black Mercury Milan parked across the street. Police found that the vehicle was registered to the defendant’s mother. Further investigation found that the Mercury or a gold Chevrolet Mailbu were captured on video in the areas of the burglaries and attempted burglaries. The defendant’s girlfriend owns a Chevy Malibu. “These burglaries were opportunistic.
The defendant searched for unlocked doors and windows through which to gain entry to homes—he did not break any windows or pry open doors,” said DA Steele. “I cannot stress enough that even though you think you live in a ‘safe neighborhood,’ please lock your doors and windows at night. It’s an easy precaution to take.”Garnett was charged with multiple felony counts of Burglary of an Occupied Structure, Attempted Burglary of an Occupied Structure, Criminal Trespass–Breaking into a Structure, as well as misdemeanor counts of Theft by Unlawful Taking and Receiving Stolen Property. He was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Cathleen Kelly Rebar, who set bail at $500,000 cash. The defendant was unable to post bail and was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m., June 1, 2021, before Judge Rebar.