‘I froze’: Woman targeted twice in string of Museum District burglaries

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The Richmond Police Department is searching for a burglary suspect who is reportedly walking into homes during the overnight hours in several neighborhoods around the Museum District and in the Windsor Farms neighborhood.

“I was just looking out the window and then all of a sudden, a man pops up and runs around to the back,” said Nicole DiNardo, who nearly had her apartment burglarized twice.

DiNardo, who lives near Patterson Avenue, said the first attempted break-in happened at around 5:45 a.m. on March 29.

"I honestly just froze -- like, 'What is going on?'" DiNardo said.

She described the suspect as wearing a hoodie and sneakers, and carrying a drawstring bag.

The same also happened to DiNardo's neighbor -- and it even happened to DiNardo again Wednesday morning. This second time was also at 5:45 a.m., she said.

PREVIOUS: Richmond Police seeking to identify suspect in connection to multiple burglaries

"He obviously doesn't seem to be deterred by lights on and people home,” DiNardo said. "When it happened the first time a week and a half ago, the cop that showed up then, he even said, 'We don't get called to this block.'"

Third Precinct detectives said they're currently investigating several residential burglaries that have occurred west of North Arthur Ashe Boulevard, including DiNardo's and her neighbor's reports.

The Windsor Farms neighborhood also had a similar break-in last week, and police said it's believed all of these incidents involve the same suspect.

Police shared a video where the suspect can be seen entering through a door, using a flashlight to locate and steal items, then walking away from the home.

"From what they [RPD] told me, they haven't seen him physically break into anywhere," DiNardo said. "It's always just been, like, through an unlocked window [or] an unlocked door."

Security footage is in black and white, but police shared a photo in color where the suspect can be seen wearing dark blue and black.

In a press release, police said they are asking the public to please lock their windows and doors during overnight hours. If you see anyone suspicious in your neighborhood, please call 911. If you have a security system, police recommend that you activate it at night.