Business owner thwarts burglary attempt
A Carmichaels man thwarted an attempt by two alleged burglars from stealing items from his business shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday. Sam Murphy, owner of Kovalcheck’s Storage on Khedive Road in Cumberland Township, held James Michael Kennedy, 28, of 721 Seventh St., Mather, and Stephen Michael Whipkey, 21, of 3127 Mt. Morris Road, Waynesburg, at gunpoint until police arrived.According to the criminal complaint filed by Cumberland Township Patrolman Garrett Toothman, Kennedy and Whipkey were sitting on the ground in front of the open door to a storage unit while being detained by Murphy when they arrived on scene. Toothman said he asked what was going on and Kennedy said he opened the storage unit door and entered it intending to get what he described as a four-wheeler he believed was his property. Police did not say how Murphy came across the two men at the storage units.Police said Kennedy told the officer another party said his four-wheeler was located in that unit. When questioned independently from Kennedy, Whipkey allegedly gave the same story to police, according to the complaint.While inspecting the scene officers observed the metal latch on the unit was cut and a cut padlock was lying nearby on the ground, Toothman said. A yellow go-cart type vehicle inside the storage unit had a lit flashlight sitting on top of it and a set of pliers on the floor, according to Toothman. He also noted the wiring near the steering column was cut, exposing the copper wire, in what Toothman called an apparent attempt to hot-wire the vehicle.Latches on several other storage units also were cut, according to the complaint.Toothman said a hammer, hacksaw and a metallic smoking device were observed in plain sight on the back seat of Whipkey’s car. While in police custody at the Cumberland Township Police Station, Kennedy asked officers if they had found a marijuana pipe. Police said Kennedy told them the pipe belonged to him and he didn’t want Whipkey to be held responsible for it being inside his vehicle.A preliminary hearing in the matter is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. Oct. 30 before Magisterial District Judge Lee Watson.Whipkey and Kennedy are being held in the Greene County jail on charges of burglary, criminal trespass, theft by unlawful taking and possession of an instrument of crime. Kennedy also is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.Whipkey’s bond was set at $35,000 and Kennedy’s was set at $20,000.