JOHNSTOWN — Authorities think they have cracked a burglary ring responsible for the theft of more than $55,000 in money, electronics, prescription drugs, guns and bicycles in eight municipalities during the summer.
Three juveniles and four adults allegedly scoured neighborhoods on many mornings between 2 and 6 a.m., rifling through unlocked vehicles, entering garages or climbing on porches to seize items they could sell.
Many of the suspects are in custody, and others are expected to be charged.
“All they did was just roam neighborhoods on foot with school book bags and loaded them up,” Richland Township Detective Thomas Keirn said. “The went down one street after another checking for unlocked cars.”
One of the ring’s leaders was arraigned Thursday, he said.
West Hills Regional Police and Richland police charged Sean Thomas Crawley, 19, of the 1100 block of Boyd Avenue, Johnstown, with multiple counts of theft from a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property, burglary and loitering and prowling at night.
Police still are processing paperwork on other suspects in the case.
The group entered hundreds of vehicles in Greater Johnstown during several days in July, West Hills police Sgt. George Musulin III said.
“You know what the sad part is? None of the vehicles were locked,” Musulin said.
It is believed the gang roamed streets in Richland, Stonycreek, Upper Yoder and Lower Yoder townships. They also hit Westmont, Southmont and Geistown boroughs and the city of Johnstown.
Those municipalities that haven’t yet filed charges are expected to.
However, many of the stolen items may never be recovered.
“We’ve recovered 8 to 10 percent of what was stolen,” Keirn said. “They sold the items or gave them away.”
Musulin said Crawley has no apparent drug addiction, which is a usual motive for such thefts.
“They were doing it just to get money,” he said.
It’s believed the gang was active in July, making off with about $20,000 in cash and items in the West Hills area and between $25,000-$35,000 in Richland.
“They would call each other and say, ‘Do you want to go fish tonight?’ ” Musulin said.
Police across the area fielded calls from hundreds of residents who had been victimized. A break in the case came in early August, when a juvenile and one adult were arrested.
“The cooperated and identified Crawley,” Musulin said.
“That’s what led to the ring being blown open.”
When confronted by police, Crawley surrendered stolen GPS units, cameras and iPods, and he identified others who were involved. Police said the investigation required long hours.
“What took time was going back with the co-defendants and trying to identify the areas where they entered the vehicles,” Musulin said.
Rounding up the gang has ended the rash of car entries.
“The incidents have come to a screeching halt,” Musulin said.
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Burglary ring broken
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