Man Arrested After Allegedly Using BBQ Fork to Enter, Burglarize House

Abington Police last month arrested a Philadelphia man after he allegedly burglarized a house and attempted to burglarize another house nearby.

William Stevenson, 57, of Erie Avenue, was arrested Nov. 6 following a pedestrian stop in Cheltenham in which police found him to have women's jewelry in his possession and nearby on the ground; the following day, he admitted to burglarizing a house in Abington. 

The Abington burglary happened Oct. 9 before 3 p.m. in the 300 block of Fisher Road. According to the affidavit of probable cause, the man entered the house by using a "BBQ-type large fork" to pry open the basement screen door before kicking in the dead-bolted door. 

The house was ransacked and jewelry was taken, police said. 

Nearby, a resident of the 1000 block of Squirrel Road called to report an attempted burglary. 

In canvassing the area, police learned that a man had been knocking on several doors in the neighborhood asking for someone with a "military rank" such as "General," "Major," "Captain" or Sergeant." The man would then leave the property.

During the Cheltenham pedestrian stop, Stevenson told police that he was looking for "Captain [name redacted]."