Lansdale Man Charged in Nine Burglaries

Montgomery Township Police have arrested a Lansdale man in connection with multiple burglaries in numerous municipalities.

Scott Joseph Neiswender, 26, of the 800 block of Shaw Avenue in Lansdale, was charged Thursday with seven counts of burglary, two counts of attempted burglary, criminal trespass, theft, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief, police said.

The investigation began after Neiswender was identified and charged Dec. 30, 2011 with prowling around a Montgomery Township home on Morningside Drive, police said.

Further investigations involving Lansdale, Lower Gwynedd Township and Hatfield Township police departments resulted in the recovery of stolen property at Neiswender's Shaw Avenue home, police said.

Property found included jewelry, electronic gaming systems and components. Items were identified by victims whose home was burglarized between October and December 2011, police said.

At that time, Neiswender resided on Shaw Avenue and had access to a white 1996 Ford Taurus, police said.

Four incidents occurred in the 800 and 700 blocks of Shaw Avenue in October 2011: three burglaries and one attempted burglary, police said. All incidents were within walking distance of his home, police said.

On Dec. 24, 2011, an attempted burglary occurred on the 100 block of Avondale Drive, and on Dec. 26, two burglaries occurred in the 100 block of Kent Drive, Montgomery Township, police said.

A large amount of jewelry taken from the Kent Drive home was sold by Neiswender to a local gold buyer in Lansdale, police said.

On Dec. 27, 2011, a burglary of an occupied home occurred in the 700 block of Thatcher Lane in Hatfield Township, police said. Neiswender was identified on the street by a witness and property stolen from the home was recovered at Neiswender's home, police said.

On Dec. 31, 2011, a burglary occurred in the 1400 block of Rose Lane in Lower Gwynedd. Property stolen from that home was recovered in Neiswender's home, police said.

Neiswender was arraigned before District Judge Andrea Duffy, police said.

Bail was set at $20,000 cash and Neiswender was remanded to Montgomery County prison.

Neiswender is being held on additional fraud and theft charges, along with a Bucks County Probation Detainer, police said.

A preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 13 at 1:15 p.m. before Judge Duffy.