LANCASTER, Pa. — A Delaware County man has been charged with committing a series of burglaries in several counties in Central and Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Francisco Cartagena, 45, of Collingdale, is accused of committing at least 26 different burglaries in Lancaster, York, Dauphin, Cumberland, Berks, Bucks, Montgomery, and Delaware counties, as well as Burlington County in New Jersey, according to police in Manheim Township, Lancaster County.
After his arrest, authorities agreed to consolidate all the charges against him and prosecute him in Lancaster County, police say.
Manheim Township Police began investigating on Nov. 3, 2021, when officers responded to reports of five forced-entry burglaries in the area of Cobblestone Lane. In each case, the suspect forced his way into a home, ransacked it, and stole jewelry, money and collectables, according to police.
As a result of their investigation, police say they identified Cartagena and a co-conspirator as a suspect.
Once Cartagena was identified, further investigation linked additional burglaries that occurred in York, Cumberland, Dauphin, Berks, Montgomery, and Bucks counties as well as Burlington County New Jersey to Cartagena, police say.
In light of the broad scope of the crimes, Manheim Township Police Department began conducting a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional burglary investigation into Cartagena that in total linked him to 26 similar daytime burglaries, according to police.
Cartagena was subsequently arrested outside of his home in Collingdale, Delaware County, on Jan. 13, police say. A search warrant was executed on his home and many stolen items were recovered.
Cartagena is charged with 26 felony counts of burglary, 11 counts of criminal conspiracy, 17 counts of theft by unlawful taking, and 18 counts of criminal mischief, Manheim Township Police say.
He is currently incarcerated at Lancaster County Prison.
The following law enforcement agencies contributed to the investigation, according to Manheim Township Police:
- West York Borough Police (York County)
- W. Manchester Township Police (York County)
- PSP Troop H (Cumberland & Dauphin counties)
- Upper Allen Township Police (Cumberland County)
- Mount Joy Borough Police (Lancaster County)
- Northwest Regional Police (Lancaster County)
- Exeter Township Police (Berks County)
- Upper Merion Township Police (Montgomery County)
- Upper Dublin Township Police (Montgomery County)
- Lower Makefield Township Police (Bucks County)
- Collingdale Borough Police (Delaware County)
- The Pennsylvania Counterdrug Joint Task Force
