Several charged in burglary ring that operated out of Lehigh, Northampton counties

Lehigh County law enforcement have filed charges against a number of people, alleging they were involved in a burglary ring that ran in both Lehigh and Northampton counties for several years.

On Wednesday, Pennsylvania State Police in Bethlehem filed charges against Jonathan Mendez, Jose Torres, Nydia Tirado, Roger Juan Tirado and William Tirado-Liciaga, alleging their involvement in the ring that was responsible for burglaries in several towns in both counties, including Lower Macungie Township, East Allen Township, Salisbury Township, Bethlehem and Allentown.

Firearms, jewelry and cash were often taken during the thefts that date back to 2019, according to court documents.

Roger Tirado, 51, of Allentown, is charged with more than 100 offenses, including corrupt organizations and over 20 felony offenses of prohibited firearm possession and receiving stolen property. He was sent to Lehigh County Jail on $300,000 bail.

William Tirado-Liciaga, 65, of Allentown, and Jose Torres, 51, of Carnegie, Allegheny County, are charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit that offense and corrupt organizations. Tirado-Liciaga and Torres were sent to Lehigh County Jail on $275,000 and $200,000 bail, respectively.

Nydia Tirado, 59, and Mendez, 47, both of Allentown, face charges of corrupt organizations, receiving stolen property and related offenses. Neither had been arraigned as of Thursday afternoon, according to court records.

Court documents state the burglaries happened in both Lehigh and Northampton counties, as well as some in New Jersey and Berks County. Guns, firearms and jewelry were stolen, and some people lost thousands of dollars in cash and items in the burglaries, according to police.

During a robbery attempt in January on Summit Street in Whitehall Township, a Chevrolet HHR was seen near the home around the time of the incident, charging documents allege.

That same vehicle was spotted at the scene of subsequent burglaries in Bethlehem, North Whitehall Township and Warren Township, New Jersey, according to documents. Investigators began tracking that vehicle and found it in the vicinity of a burglary in Lower Macungie Township in early February, charging documents state.

About two days later, they detained Roger Tirado and Torres, both of whom were in the vehicle, officials said. Both men have a history of burglary offenses.

Torres was also found with a gun that was stolen from a home in Weisenberg Township, police allege.

Roger Tirado was taken into custody on a parole violation. While in prison, he contacted his sister Nydia Tirado and instructed her to bring evidence from an apartment in Allentown to another apartment in Allentown, charging documents state.

Police said investigators stopped her and a man named Agapito Pagan-Liciaga from doing that, and Pagan-Liciaga was arrested. He is charged tampering with evidence, receiving stolen property and related offenses.

Investigators searched vehicles and properties related to those involved and found stolen firearms, jewelry and other items, according to court documents. Police also searched Roger Tirado’s phone records, which showed he was near the scene of 13 burglaries in 2024 alone, according to authorities. Records also showed he coordinated a gun sale through text message, authorities said.

Torres’ phone data showed he was at the scene of four burglaries, charging documents state.

William Tirado-Liciaga, Roger Tirado’s brother, was seen at the scene of three burglaries, police said. Pagan-Liciaga was seen at two burglaries as well, according to officials.

Those involved would get in through an unsecured door or window, or would pry open a door or window to get in, according to court documents. Residents were not home during many of the incidents.

One South Whitehall Township home was burglarized in January while two children were home alone. Police said the children escaped the home from a bedroom window while the home was being broken into. They fled to a friend’s house nearby.

The burglaries allegedly happened in Allentown, Bethlehem, East Allen Township,, Emmaus, Lower Macungie Township, Lower Milford Township, North Whitehall Township, Salisbury Township, South Whitehall Township,  Upper Saucon Township, Upper Milford Township, Weisenberg Township and Whitehall Township. Police said one burglary happened in Hamburg, Berks County, and Mount Olive Township, New Jersey.