It turns out that Butler police aren’t done with their investigation of a suspected serial burglar.

Police today planned to file 13 new burglary cases against David A. Morrow, 31, of Slippery Rock.

That brings to 36 the total number of burglaries in the city tied to Morrow.

“We were able to connect him to the new cases because of the similarity of the method of entry,” said city police Lt. James Hollobaugh, “and because he used his identification to sell the water meters that were taken from those homes.”

Investigators suspect Morrow targeted homes across Butler County that appeared to be vacant, as most had ‘For Sale’ signs in front. His alleged break-in spree began in November.

He was looking for copper pipes, wiring and water meters to trade for quick cash, Hollobaugh said.

Butler Township police said last week that they have identified Morrow as a suspect in at least 17 burglaries there. They plan to charge him soon, said township police Lt. Matthew Pearson.

State police, too, said they plan to charge the defendant with their own cases once their investigation wraps up.

Morrow is being held in the Butler County Prison on $50,000 bail in connection with the city cases. A preliminary hearing on the long list of charges in the Butler burglaries was set for today at 1:45 p.m.

Hollobaugh and Butler Patrolman Nathan Shulik, with the help of Butler Township police, caught Morrow red-handed early Wednesday morning inside a vacant upstairs apartment of a duplex in the 400 block of Walker Avenue.

Like his numerous other suspected break-ins, the defendant forced his way inside — quickly and under the cover of night.

“He used the same (modus operandi) in all the burglaries,” Hollobaugh said. “He kicked in or pried open the door.”

The elderly tenant in the downstairs apartment at the Walker Avenue duplex heard a noise and thought someone was in her basement. She called 911 at 4:25 a.m.

“(Morrow) told us he didn’t think there was anyone downstairs,” Hollobaugh said.

A short time after police got there they spotted the suspect on the roof. Moments later, according to court documents, officers arrested Morrow.

Police said they found two duffel bags — one filled with the suspect’s burglary tools and one with about 28 pounds of copper baseboard water line that he removed from the home.

A search of Morrow’s car out front, police said, turned up more evidence — a notebook that revealed a “hit list” of homes.

Police believe he would case the houses he planned to burglarize and then record them in the notebook.

“He’d drive around looking for houses that had “For Sale” signs and then write down the addresses and directions to those homes,” Hollobaugh said. “This showed he was doing his research.”

Following Morrow’s arrest Wednesday, investigators showed him a list of break-ins that fit a pattern. He confessed to 23 burglaries on the list.

The additional 13 burglaries for which he is to be charged were not included on that original list, Hollobaugh said.

Investigators believe that for his work, he received about $7,500 from a Slippery Rock Township salvage yard where he sold the stolen copper and water meters.

The money, Morrow told police, went to feed his voracious heroin addiction, Hollobaugh said.

The defendant’s criminal record shows numerous drug-related convictions, mostly misdemeanors.

Two other cases — one for driving under the influence of drugs and one for the possession of drug paraphernalia — are pending in Butler County Court.