Prosecutors say a Pennsylvania burglary scheme preyed on grief itself, with a Berks County man allegedly using obituary pages as his personal hit list. Authorities have identified the suspect as Derrick Raker, who now faces a slate of burglary and weapons charges after investigators say he stole valuables, including a large number of firearms, from the homes of people who had recently died in Berks County and nearby townships. He was arraigned this week and is being held on $1 million secured bail ahead of a preliminary hearing.
According to CBS Philadelphia, Raker was arrested Thursday and charged with eight counts of burglary, gun offenses and related crimes. The district attorney's office laid out the allegations in a Facebook post, saying investigators uncovered a pattern tying together several recent thefts.
How investigators say he worked
Investigators say Raker routinely combed obituary listings, matched the names of the deceased to their home addresses, then slipped into vacant houses while families were at viewings or otherwise away, according to Berks Weekly. The DA's Facebook post, cited by the outlet, described the theft of "numerous valuables," including what it called a "large number" of firearms.
Where the alleged break-ins happened
The alleged incidents span Ruscombmanor, Longswamp, Rockland, Lower Alsace and Exeter townships in Berks County, with at least one reported in East Hanover Township in Lebanon County and in Brecknock Township in Lancaster County, as reported by CBS Philadelphia. The DA is urging anyone who believes a deceased relative's home may have been targeted to contact their local police department or Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Joshua Gresh.
Court schedule and legal details
Raker was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Steven Chieffo, who set $1 million secured bail, and prosecutors filed eight counts of burglary along with firearm-related charges, according to Berks Weekly. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 11.
Prosecutors say the investigation remains active and are asking anyone with information to reach out to local law enforcement as authorities follow up on tips and evidence in the lead-up to the coming court dates.
