Police charge 2 in vehicle theft
North Strabane Township police filed charges this week against two men who were reportedly stealing items out of vehicles parked in a garage at The Meadows Casino earlier this month.
Christopher Michael Madia, 24, of 101 Hickory Circle, Canonsburg, and Thomas C. Fleeher, II, 24, of 152 Valley Crest Drive, Cecil, were charged with theft and theft from a motor vehicle. Madia also is charged with possession of marijuana, hashish and paraphernalia after those items were found in his vehicle.
Police were called to the casino on Oct. 5 after an employee saw a man inside her vehicle, which was parked in the north garage. She saw the man, later identified as Fleeher, get out and run to a waiting black car that then left the area. As she and security officers looked through her vehicle, the car driven by Madia returned. Security told police the black car was on the fourth floor of the garage parked next to silver BMW.
The owner of the BMW told police that he found a wallet and cigarettes on the front seat. The wallet contained Fleeher’s license. Missing from the BMW were a watch, two iPods, a heat gun, silver ring and a bottle of cologne.
Fleeher reportedly told police that they returned to the BMW to look for the wallet he lost while breaking into vehicles at the casino. Police obtained a search warrant for Madia’s car. Found inside were a watch, two iPods and a heat gun.
The charges will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Jay Weller. The two are scheduled for a preliminary hearing before Weller Dec. 27.