COVINGTON TOWNSHIP, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — VFW posts are places where military veterans go to socialize and support community causes. But lately, someone going to a local VFW has only crime on his mind. Pennsylvania State Police hope you can help them put a stop to it

It was a relatively quiet Wednesday afternoon inside V.F.W. Post 5207, but lately someone has been causing quite a stir. “Three times in four days and what are they going after?” Melissa LaFave was talking about a burglar who’s targeted the VFW three times during the overnight hours since Sunday. It’s happening just across the Daleville Highway from The Pampered Pooch where she works as a dog grooming assistant. “I think it’s awful. You know, they’re there to help us and protect us and then someone’s going in their place and trying to take things from them.”

The damage at a rear door is evidence of where the intruder has broken into the VFW. A surveillance photo shows the masked man trying to burglarize the building November 26th but was scared away by an alarm. Another surveillance photo shows him make entry into the VFW on November 28th but he left empty handed. Troopers say it happened again early Wednesday morning as the intruder eyed up a safe but, again, got nothing. 

A surveillance camera also managed to capture images of the vehicle used during the crimes. “What I see they’ve got the car. They have half of his face. They have the eyes.” said Emily Foss who is owner of Pixie Tanning. She hopes he’s caught soon for the sake of her community-minded neighbors across the road. “Oh, my gosh. They help everybody. They’re doing a fundraiser in January,” said Ms. Foss. 

The VFW Commander declined to appear on camera but the recent crimes are clearly striking a nerve with the veteran community. “It’s hard to believe that someone could think so little of us,” said Gene Corey of Spring Brook Township. While the U.S. Navy veteran doesn’t belong to the VFW, he sympathizes with his fellow vets. “For a lot of work and time they put in over there to keep the place going and running and to have someone come in there and take advantage of that is really an appalling thing.” 

If you recognize the burglar or his car, call PSP Troop R Dunmore at 570-963-3156 or 911.