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Two arrested after rash of Orlando apartment burglaries

ORLANDO, Fla. — After several break-ins at an Orlando apartment complex, an alert neighbor's call to police landed two men in jail.

Fingerprinting dust is still on the doorknobs of several homes at the Central Park Apartments in MetroWest Thursday, after a rash of break-ins in the last week and a half.

"The door was locked, but when I came in, my dresser was knocked over," said Elrod Small, whose home was burglarized.

Small is one of several victims. He's still working to repair the screens thieves cut to get in.

Small said they took almost everything.

"It was in the thousands. I mean, I had three TVs taken, PlayStation, some jewelry of my girlfriend's," said Small.

His neighbor nearly became a victim too.

"We heard noises outside and our dog started barking and we weren't sure what was going on, and we heard maybe, little voices," said resident Michael Strizelka.

At the same time Strizelka's dog began barking, an observant neighbor was on the phone with police. He said he saw two young men jump a fence and try doorknobs in the area.

"When they told us someone was trying to come in our door, we were shocked. We couldn't believe it," said Strizelka.

Police were able to catch Brandon Lane, 19, and a juvenile.

According to police reports, it's believed the two could be linked to other break-ins at the apartment complex, including Small's.

"That might make sense, because I actually found the cord for my TV at the fence the next morning," said Small.

One of the victims said police told him they think the two arrested could be part of an organized group.

Lane was still in the Orange County Jail Thursday evening.

Police said both men have a criminal history of burglary and theft.