Richard Bondarenko
For a while, at least, Richard Bondarenko allegedly made out like a bandit. But in the end, Philadelphia police hit the jackpot.
After arresting Bondarenko on March 20 and charging him with the March 8 burglary of a home on the 11000 block of Audubon Ave. in Somerton, detectives were able to link the 20-year-old Lawndale man to 18 additional residential break-ins, all in the 7th Police District. The crimes allegedly netted Bondarenko almost $75,000 in stolen cash and possessions, while causing thousands of dollars of damage to the targeted properties.
Police did not disclose how they initially identified Bondarenko as the prime suspect in the March 8 break-in or what led them to accuse him in the other crimes, which occurred between Feb. 7 and March 15.
But detectives make Bondarenko out to be a one-man crime spree.
The city blocks and dates of the burglaries include 10000 Jeanes St. on Feb. 7 and March 4, 400 Rennard St. on Feb. 9 (two cases), 500 Avon St. on Feb. 10 and March 12, 13000 Worthington Road on Feb. 20 or 21, 10000 Selmer Terrace on Feb. 21, 10000 Depue Ave. on Feb. 21, 500 Burgess St. on Feb. 27, 1000 Larkspur St. on Feb. 28, 10000 Verree Road on March 1, 800 Lawler St. between March 1 and 4, 9700 Glenhope St. on March 2, 11000 Ferndale St. on March 4, 300 Smithfield St. on March 5, 11000 Audubon Ave. on March 8, 800 Selmer Road on March 14 and 12000 Depue Ave. on March 15.
In five of the cases, Bondarenko allegedly failed to gain access to the homes or left empty-handed. In others, he stole as little as $40 cash and as much as $23,810 in cash and possessions. The burglar mostly targeted jewelry, TVs, portable electronic devices and cash. Victims were at home in a couple of the incidents and encountered the intruder, but no injuries were reported.
Typically, the 7th district has between 15 and 25 confirmed burglaries in any given two-week period, so police hope that Bondarenko’s arrest makes a significant impact in the district’s crime rate. ••
