In a rash of break-ins that began on Friday, April 12, and continued over the weekend, six homes were burglarized during the daytime and in the evening. Police have identified a few suspects.

“It appears that we likely have two groups that are actively operating on the Island,” said Mercer Island Police Detective Pete Erickson. “We’ve identified some suspects; we have made at least one arrest. We have recovered some property, and the investigation is continuing.”

The first burglary occurred at a residence in a neighborhood near the Stroum Jewish Community Center, where burglars entered through a sliding glass door after breaking a window to attempt entry in the 9900 block of S.E. 40th Street. They were likely interrupted when a neighbor came home, according the police report. Only $25 was stolen out of a piggy bank, but the house was ransacked, sometime between 8:30 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. on Friday, April 12.

On Sunday, April 14, burglars broke into a home in the 4200 block of East Mercer Way through the front door, after smashing a stained glass panel window between 8:38 and 9 p.m. The house alarm went off when the front door was opened and probably caused the suspects to leave, according to the police report. A paper card was found near the front door and was taken into evidence. The homeowners, being out of town, could not confirm whether or not any items were stolen.

The front door and doorframe of a home in the 4900 block of East Mercer Way were destroyed on Monday, April 15, during a forced entry before noon. While the victim was away, she received a phone app notification that her front door was opened at 11:07 a.m. and was closed at 11:20 a.m. Numerous items were stolen, including a Kindle Fire, Passport portable hard drive, flip video camera, pair of Uggs, Macbook laptop, makeup bag, jewelry and an iPhone. The iPhone was tracked by GPS to an apartment building in Issaquah.

Later that afternoon, a home in the 6400 block of East Mercer Way, in a neighborhood east of Pioneer Park, was entered through an unlocked dining room window sometime between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. Burglars stole $11,213 in electronics and jewelry, including a Macbook Air laptop and diamond tennis bracelet. A fingerprint was lifted from the window screen that had been removed.

Off-Island residents who came to check on their Mercer Island home on Tuesday, April 16, in the 4700 block of East Mercer Way, found that it had been burglarized. The front double doors were forced open and dresser drawers were ransacked. Jewelry and women’s purses were stolen, having been carried out in pillowcases removed from the master bedroom pillows.

That same day, the French doors of a North end home in the 8000 block of S.E. 36th Street were kicked in and destroyed sometime between 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. When the homeowner returned, she found that the floor by the back door was covered in shattered glass. $20,450 in jewelry and electronics were stolen, including a Macbook laptop.

Police are continuing to investigate.