Man arraigned on more burglary charges
An East Pittsburgh man accused of stealing appliances from houses under construction in Cecil, North Strabane and South Strabane townships was arraigned Thursday on charges including burglary, trespass, loitering and theft.
Charles Fey IV, 33, has been sought by South Strabane Township for the last month after he and Jason Walter Moore, 34, of Braddock, allegedly entered a house under construction at 1530 Lombard Circle Jan. 21. A resident of the area called 911 after seeing a pickup truck parked in the driveway and two men walking around the residence.
When South Strabane police arrived, Fey told police they had been at The Meadows Racetrack & Casino and were on their way to Krispy Kreme when the headlights on the truck stopped working. They claimed they stopped to fix the lights.
Police Detective Ken Torboli learned during his investigation Fey once worked for a drywall company that had been hired to work in the new housing development.
That is not the first time that Fey was accused of stealing appliances from homes under construction in Washington County.
On Dec. 22, Cecil police received a call about 5 a.m. about a tan GMC pickup truck on Maple Ridge Court. The truck reportedly backed down the street and parked at 116 Maple Ridge. Two men got out, opened the garage door and then entered the house. They loaded what appeared to be appliances in the bed of the truck before fleeing on Morganza Road.
About 40 minutes later, North Strabane police saw the truck carrying what appeared to be boxes of appliances turn from McClelland Road onto northbound Interstate 79. The truck was stopped and Fey identified as the driver.
Fey told North Strabane police they were subcontractors for Heartland Homes and were instructed to pick up the appliances and take them to another housing site in Bridgeville.
The two men were released to Cecil police since it appeared the items had been stolen in Cecil. Fey admitted to stealing some appliances from the Concord Green housing plan in North Strabane. Police later determined that a refrigerator, range, microwave and dishwasher valued at more than $5,500 had been stolen from a house at 1088 Woodlawn Drive.
Fey admitted to stealing the appliances, telling police he hadn’t been working and needed money for Christmas. Ashbaugh told police he thought they were working and simply moving the appliances.
Cecil filed charges against both Fey and Ashbaugh. Both men are awaiting trial on the Cecil charges.
Fey was arrested Monday by North Versailles police on charges of flight to avoid apprehension and disorderly conduct. He was placed in the Allegheny County jail on $100,000 bond.
Fey also is wanted on a warrant obtained by Braddock Hills police on charges of burglary, theft and trespass. He also is awaiting trial on burglary and other charges filed by Northern Regional police earlier this year.
He was arraigned on the latest charges before District Judge Jay Weller, who set bond at $100,000. Fey was returned to Allegheny County Jail. Preliminary hearings on the charges filed by North Strabane and South Strabane police are set for April 2.
Moore was ordered held for court for his role in the South Strabane incident during a hearing before Weller earlier this month.