Erie man charged with two attempted burglaries at west side homes

Investigators are now trying to determine if the man could be connected to other similar crimes as detectives investigate a recent string of robberies that have occurred throughout Erie.

Walter J. Hatcher, 55, was jailed Tuesday night on $50,000 bail after being arraigned on two first-degree felonies, including burglary. Police accuse him of attempting to break into residences in the 300 block of Marsh Street and the 3300 block of Cherry Street within a span of about 20 minutes early on June 11, and taking unknown items from a shed at one of the residences, according to information in his criminal complaint.

The victims in both cases were women, and both were apparently asleep at the time of the robbery attempts, investigators wrote in the complaint.