Facebook Used to Catch Serial Burglar Accused in 4 Recent Levittown Break-Ins, Cops Say

While Bristol Township Detective Jason Callahan was obtaining an arrest warrant for Gregory Barowsky on Tuesday morning, the 35-year-old Ailanthus Lane, Levittown resident was burglarizing a neighbor’s home, according to police.

A neighbor called to say they saw a possible burglar leaving the house around 8:50 a.m. Police rushed to the scene and were able to take Barowsky into custody without incident.

Barowsky, who celebrated his birthday on Monday, admitted to four burglaries when questioned by detectives on Tuesday. He confessed to Tuesday’s Ailanthus Lane burglary, one on April Lane last month, another in the Appletree section and a July 29 burglary on Ruby Lane, according to Lt. Terry Hughes.

Police said Barowsky will be charged with the three Appletree burglaries via detainer. For now, authorities on Tuesday charged Barowsky with Ruby Lane burglary, as that is the warrant Callahan was filing at the time of the burglary in progress call.

Here’s what police say happened in the Ruby Lane Burglary:

The burglary happened during the day on July 29. Investigation determined a piece of wood board used to fill the space next to a window-mounted air conditioner was removed and the suspect made entry to the Levittown home through a ground-level rear window.  A PlayStation 3, numerous games and several movies were reported stolen.

The home was equipped with a video surveillance system that recorded the incident. Around 10 a.m. Barowsky came to the door and knocked. After no one answered, he walked toward the backyard, looked around and then entered the screen porch. He then entered the house.

Shortly after, he was seen exiting a side door with several items. He had removed a plaid shirt and was not in a white short-sleeve shirt.

Corynne Dixey, the resident of the Ruby Lane home, posted the surveillance video of the burglary suspect on Facebook and it went viral in Levittown. Police said they used tips from Facebook to identify the suspect as Barowsky.

Court papers say Dixey also went to Barosky’s Facebook page and identified him as the man in the video.

Last week LevittownNow.com ran a story featuring a surveillance camera photo of a man suspected of breaking into a home on April Lane in August. Hughes confirmed Tuesday Barowsky was the man in that video.

On LevittownNow.com’s Facebook page, Dixey thanked all who had helped identify Barowsky from the footage.

Barowsky previously committed two Bristol Township burglaries and one in Morrisville. Those incidents happened between 2003 and 2006.

Barowsky was charged with burglary, criminal trespass theft and receiving stolen property. He was arraigned before District Judge Robert Wagner and sent to Bucks County prison on 10 percent of $100,000 bail.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.