2 guns among possessions stolen from New Kensington vehicles in overnight hits

At least two handguns are among items stolen from vehicles recently in New Kensington.

The thefts have the city’s police department advising residents to secure their vehicles and their valuables.

Residents of the area across Seventh Street from New Kensington’s Mount Vernon neighborhood said they believe three males are involved, and that they’ve been prowling between 1:30 and 4:30 a.m.

They have been captured on surveillance cameras, but were wearing hoodies, face masks and gloves.

A Glock .45-caliber pistol and a nickel-plated .38-caliber Derringer pistol were among items stolen from Wood Street resident Andrew Sieminski’s vehicle on Dec. 9, he said through a family member.

Sieminski, who is hearing impaired, believes his vehicle was locked.

His neighbor across the street, Dan Ray, said he heard Sieminski’s car alarm go off shortly before 4 a.m., but didn’t investigate because he knows Sieminski leaves early to go hunting and might have accidentally hit the panic button.

Ray said his truck, which may have been accidentally left unlocked in a backyard car port, was entered around 3:30 a.m. on Dec. 9. One of the three people tried his daughter’s truck, but walked away after finding it locked, he said.

The trio of thieves took a roll of quarters from Ray’s vehicle, but missed an envelope with $80 in it, which was thrown on the floor.

They also took a packaged dog treat, which Ray thinks they might have mistaken for a cigar. He found it a couple of days later a half-block away while walking his dog.

“I’ve never had anything like this happen,” said Ray, who has lived in the area about 10 years. “Normally, this is a pretty safe area.”

New Kensington police Det. Sam Long said such incidents happen “every once in a while.”

“In this case there were firearms taken,” he said. “All vehicles should be locked and at no time should a firearm or any other valuables be left inside a vehicle.

“This isn’t just a New Kensington issue, this happens all over the place and I would say that this is how most firearms get stolen,” Long said. “We have officers patrolling, but it is quite easy to hide from a patrol vehicle in a residential area.”

Long did not specify how many thefts have happened, or offer specific dates, times and locations.

Despite having lots of video and pictures, Long said, they are of poor quality and the people’s faces were covered.

“We are still actively working the case, and anyone who might have information is encouraged to call us,” he said. “All tips can remain anonymous.”

Through his family member, Sieminski said he’s most worried about his guns and any others that may have been taken, especially since the thieves look like teenagers.

“It’s one thing to steal change. When you’re stealing guns, it’s serious,” he said.

Floodlights and cameras did not seem to deter them. Ray said one stared right at one of his cameras when trying to enter his daughter’s truck.

“All you really see are their eyes,” he said. “There’s no identification on their clothing. It could be anybody. Even the clearest cameras would not have deterred them.”

Ray said he has been seeing more police patrols in the area in the wake of the thefts. He’s been double checking that his vehicles are locked, and checking his cameras every night in case they come back.

“You want to believe they’re not stupid enough to come back to the same area,” Ray said. “Then again, they stole a dog treat.”