Lincoln police are investigating three burglaries and two thefts that could be related. In one of the cases, someone entered an apartment at a residential living facility and took a gold watch with plenty of memories attached to it.

Nadene Stull says after playing a game of cards Sunday evening, January 3rd, she returned to her apartment at Burke Plaza. She discovered a Styrofoam cup on her dresser. She says that was suspicious to her.

"I never use a Styrofoam cup," Stull says. So, she quickly checked her jewelry box, and found her gold watch was stolen.

Nadene says her deceased husband Walter gave her the watch 30 years ago and it's troubling to know it's gone. "Each day it's a little bit more," Stull says. "Because it meant so much to me, it really was something special."

Police say two other residents at Burke Plaza reported burglaries the night before, on Saturday night, January 2nd.

"On one of the cases, and this was during the daytime, one of the residents was in the bathroom, and when she was in the bathroom, she encountered an intruder inside her apartment," LPD officer Matt Tangen says.

The suspect was described as a white female, in her late teens or early 20's, with a small build. The suspect was short and slender, with dark hair. Police say in the Saturday cases, the residents left their apartment doors were left unlocked.

Lincoln police are not only investigating the three burglaries at Burke Plaza. They are also looking into a couple of thefts at St. Elizabeth's Regional Medical Center nearby. Police say some pocketbooks were stolen from purses at a hospital work station area Saturday, January 2nd. Authorities say the cases at the hospital and at Burke Plaza could be related, in part because the crimes happened in the same part of town and during a similar time frame. That has people like Nadene Stull taking extra precautions.

"I have always tried to lock my door when I leave. Now, I'm trying to lock my door when I'm here," Stull says.

If you can help Nadene recover her cherished stolen gold watch, call Crimestoppers. That number is 475-3600. Or you can leave an anonymous tip on-line at lincolncrimestoppers.com. You can also "text" your tip. Just type in LNK 402, then your message, and send it to CRIMES. Remember, we have a link to LPD's Crimestoppers web page on the hot button on our webchannel.