Mentor Police Trying to Hunt Down a Daytime Burglar

Mentor Police are looking for a burglar they say scouts neighborhoods by pretending to have lost his pet.

Police say that six houses in Mentor have been stolen from since April 12. The burglaries often are foreshadowed by a man who knocks on doors in the neighborhood, claiming he's looking for his dog or cat, Mentor Police Lt. Ken Gunsch said.

Witnesses describe the man as white and in his 20s.

So far the burglar seems to have focused on the Bellflower and Reynolds Road neighborhoods and the southeast portion of the city, Gunsch said. However, police are asking residents in any part of the city to call them if a stranger knocks on their door looking for their cat or dog.

"(That stranger) might have a legitimate reason to be in the neighborhood, but we won't know unless we talk to them," Gunsch said.

The burglar breaks into houses during the day. He or she uses an unlocked door or window, so residents are warned to keep their house locked while they're away. The burglar usually takes cash, jewelry and smaller electronics, Gunsch said.

Anyone who sees a suspicious stranger in their neighborhood is encouraged to call Mentor Police Department at 440-974-5760.