Police are warning residents not to post photos of "large sums of money" on social media after three recent home invasions, Journal-News reports.
Middletown, Ohio has seen a "spike" in home invasions, according to a post on the department's Facebook page.
A common factor in some of the cases is victims who posted photos of large sums of cash on social media or showed the cash to friends, police told Journal-News.
“If you find yourself in possession of a large sum of money do not pose with the money so others can share the joy you are feeling because of your good fortune; one of the viewers could become jealous and decide to take the money away,” the department wrote on Facebook.
Here are three recent home invasions fitting the profile, according to police:
1. Visitors turned alleged robbers saw cash
Two men wearing masks came into a house with guns and robbed the resident of $2,000 and took his shotgun from his home in Middletown, police said.
The robbers allegedly used a key to get into the house; one of the people involved was in the house the night before and saw the cash, police said.
Isaac Leturgez and Anthony Wells, both 21 from Middletown, were charged with aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary, according to a police report.
A 17-year-old is also charged, police said. The teen told police he provided the key to the residence.
A loaded .45-caliber handgun was used during the robbery and it was recovered.
2. Woman posted vacation savings on social media
A man reported to police June 6 that three men woke him up, struck him in the face with the butt of a shotgun, and dragged them into the living room, demanding to know where he kept his money, the post said.
The man’s partner had posted photos of $3,000 in cash that the couple had saved for vacation.
3. Intruders knew location of home’s safe
A man was pistol whipped and the masked intruders immediately went to a back room where a safe was located in Middletown on Monday.
While photos may not have been posted on social media, the intruders clearly knew where the safe was located and the homeowners recognized one of the men and knew his first name, police said.
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