5 Men Charged in 26 Home Burglaries

Five men have been charged in a string of 26 burglaries and attempted burglaries that took place at homes in Bethlehem, Allentown, Whitehall Township and Salisbury Township between December and May, according to the Lehigh County district attorney.

The men are charged with stealing computers, televisions, cell phones, cash and coins, video games, gaming systems and accessories, handguns and ammunition, and jewelry.

The total value of the stolen items is estimated at $83,000 and there also was damage to some of the homes, according to the release from District Attorney Jim Martin's office.

Arrest affidavits allege that the defendants sold the stolen items to gold buyers and other people and split the cash from those sales and the cash taken from homes, according to the DA. The investigation was conducted jointly by the Bethlehem and Allentown police departments.

The men charged are:

• Kyle Medina, 18, of 918 Main St., Apartment 6, Bethlehem, eight counts of burglary and one count each of attempted burglary and conspiracy.
• Hiram Rodriguez Jr., 23, formerly of 1910 Gatewood Lane, Bethlehem, 20 counts of burglary, three counts of attempted burglary and one count of conspiracy.
• Anthony Richard Machado, 23, no known address, eight counts of burglary, one count each of attempted burglary and conspiracy.
• Jean Carlos Irizarry Rodriguez, 22, formerly of 417 ½ W. Tilghman St., Allentown, 23 counts of burglary, four counts of attempted burglary and one count of conspiracy.
• Anthony Rodriguez-Pagan, 18, formerly of 417 ½ W. Tilghman St., Allentown, 12 counts of burglary, one count of attempted burglary and one count of conspiracy.

Irizarry Rodriguez and Machado are currently being held in Lancaster County Prison, according to the DA. Rodriguez-Pagan, Rodriguez Jr. and Medina are in Lehigh County Prison.

Among the homes the group allegedly targeted:

• 1412 E. Susquehanna St., Salisbury Township, on Dec. 12
• 445 E. Lynnwood St., Salisbury Township, on Jan. 30
• 1228 Pennsylvania Ave., Bethlehem, on Feb. 22
• 2043 Kenmore Ave., Bethlehem, on Feb. 22
• 1746 Schaffer St., Bethlehem, on March 27
• 1103 Raymond Ave., Bethlehem, on March 29
• 918 Cambridge Ave., Bethlehem, on April 3
• 1933 Glendale Ave., Bethlehem, on April 23
• 716 Cambridge Ave., Bethlehem, on April 24

All of the burglaries or attempted burglaries occurred from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., the DA’s news release said.

The affidavit alleges that the men knocked on doors to determine if residents were home. In one case, the homeowner was inside the home, and the men fled in a black Toyota in which one man was waiting. The license number was identified.

In another case, a homeowner was sleeping during the burglary. One victim was at home when she saw two men get out of a black Toyota and knock on her front door before going around the back of the residence. One of the men kicked in the back door, and the men fled when the victim yelled.