Career Criminals Caught In Pa

Some burglars target homes without home security. Some target small businesses. And some go straight for wherever the most cash can be found, targeting such things as slot machines and ATMs.

Recently in western Pennsylvania, a group of burglars described as real "career guys" was finally busted by local authorities. The group's modus operandi was to leave as little trace as possible while still committing major robberies that often involved smashing stolen cars through storefronts in order to haul away things like poker machines, safes, and ATMs, which they subsequently opened and stripped of cash, then dumped in the Allegheny River.

As reported August 20th by www.post-gazette.com, the perps are said to have committed more than two dozen major thefts in the last four years.

Their leader, Mr. Sunday, who was the mastermind behind the group, was followed by police using a tracking device. Then several burglaries were staked out by undercover officers who likely used a wireless security camera. Additionally, police used divers to recover the gambling machines, ATMs, and safes dumped in the river from the same bridge.

Mr. Sunday was charged with 25 burglaries, 13 theft counts, and 25 counts of criminal conspiracy in burglaries at establishments ranging from pubs, corner markets, and hotels to bowling alleys, gas stations, and three private residences known to have safes. It wasn't reported whether he knew if any of these targets had burglar alarms, but those that did not probably wouldn't turn down a free home security review if one were offered to them by alarm companies.

The burglars would first case locations to make sure that they were mostly isolated. When they worked, they painted their faces black and wore masks and gloves. Often they would bust down a door with a stolen car to create an opening large enough to remove a safe or other machine containing cash. These they hauled into trucks using heavy chains.

Using information from confidential sources, investigators observed several of the most recent burglaries as they took place. They wanted to build a case first because they knew that it wasn't Mr. Sunday's style to inflict violence on others. Thus, building a case was safer for everyone involved. The burglars luck ran out when they tried to hit a Volunteer Fire Department that had a burglar alarm. The alarm was tripped and police arrived shortly on the scene.

Etna Police Chief William Grover noted that for all the meticulous attention Mr. Sunday gave to each crime, he would have been much better off just getting a job.