Hatfield Police Charge Sellersville Man in Six Daytime Burglaries

Hatfield Township Police have charged a Sellersville man with 43 criminal offenses — 30 of them felonies — related to six residential daytime burgarlies beginning in September 2012.

William Goetz, 29, is charged with seven first-degree felony counts of burglary in which no person was home; seven second-degree felony counts of criminal trespassing — breaking into a home; seven third-degree felony counts of theft by unlawful taking; seven third-degree felony counts of receiving stolen property; one second-degree felony count of theft by unlawful taking; one second-degree felony count of receiving stolen property; one misdemeanor count of possession of an instrument of crime; six counts of use/possession of drug paraphernalia; and six misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief — damage to property, according to court records.

Hatfield Township Police investigated a string of daytime burglaries, where the suspect or suspects gained entry into the home through windows by either cutting screens or pushing in window air conditioner units, police said.

In the burglaries, jewelry, cash and electronics were taken, police said. One firearm was taken in a burglary as well.

Police began surveillance details with help from detectives from Upper Gwynedd Township Police and Lower Salford Township Police.

Neighborhood canvassing and surveillance led to Goetz, police said. Investigators learned Goetz was wanted by the Pennsylvania State Parole Board on a parole violation, police said. 

Goetz was stopped on Sept. 21, 2012 by Hatfield Township Police and arrested on the parole violation warrant, police said.

During the arrest, detectives found Goetz allegedly in possession of jewelry stolen from one of the burglarized homes, police said. 

A search warrant was executed on Goetz's Sellersville apartment. Numerous additional stolen items were recovered in the search, including electronics, jewelry and credit cards, police said.

Police said some of the stolen electronics and jewelry recovered in the search were determined to be from a residential burglary that occurred in Perkasie Borough.

Goetz was arraigned by District Judge Kenneth Deatelhauser, and bail was set at $50,000 cash, police said.

Goetz remains incarcerated at Montgomery County Prison in lieu of bail and on the parole detainer, police said. 

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 31, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. before Deatelhauser.

Goetz was also charged by Hatfield Township Police in a separate incident involving indecent assault on an unconscious person and three counts of invasion of privacy, according to court records.

A hearing on those charges will also be held on Oct. 31 at 1:30 p.m. before Deatelhauser.

Goetz was sentenced to 10 months to four years in prison in Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas in March 2010 for felony receiving stolen property. He was granted parole on March 8, 2012, according to court records.

Goetz pleaded guilty at Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas in February 2009 to possession of drug paraphernalia, according to court records. He was sentenced to one year probation.