Police say East Deer man arrested for break-ins after brother offers his suspicions

An East Deer man is accused of breaking into a neighbor’s house twice in four days after the man’s brother told police he thought his brother might be responsible for the burglaries.

Shaun Charles Adams, 34, of the 200 block of Freeport Road was charged with felony counts of criminal trespass and attempted criminal trespass along with counts of possession of an instrument of crime, criminal mischief and loitering.

Adams was released from the Allegheny County Jail after a Pittsburgh bail agency posted a $5,000 bond on his behalf.

He faces a preliminary hearing before District Judge Carolyn Bengel on May 10, according to court records.

Allegheny Valley Regional Police responding to a burglary call March 24 at a home in the 200 block of Freeport Road met with the homeowner. The homeowner told police he returned home from a trip to Pittsburgh and discovered that the kitchen door was kicked in, according to a criminal complaint.

Police said the door’s panels were on the kitchen floor and were marked with what appeared to be shoe scuffs, police said.

The home’s screened-in porch also was damaged by somebody who appeared to have walked on the roof and fallen through, the complaint said.

The homeowner said the front door was locked the previous night but was unlocked in the morning, He said a front window screen that “he never raised” was ajar and was covered in fingerprints.

Police collected video from a surveillance camera that showed a man walking back and forth from the house to a vehicle that was parked nearby. They hoped to be able to get a license plate number to track down the vehicle.

On March 27, officers were called back to the home after the owner said someone again tried to kick in the door, which was damaged and had a shoeprint on it, the complaint said.

Officers who were questioning neighbors to see whether they saw or heard anything said one of the people they spoke to told them he suspected his brother was responsible for committing the burglaries.

Adams, who was at the house, admitted breaking into his neighbor’s house and was taken into custody, according to a criminal complaint.