Alleged appliance thief targeted area
An East Pittsburgh man who, along with three others, is accused of stealing appliances from homes under construction in northern Allegheny and Butler counties is awaiting sentencing in Washington County after he was charged with identical crimes in late 2012 and early 2013.
Charles Fey IV, 35, was scheduled for sentencing Monday in Washington County Court on charges stemming from the theft of appliances from houses under construction in Cecil, North and South Strabane townships. South Strabane Detective Ken Torboli, who filed charges against Fey in 2013, was aware he had been arrested on the new charges but said he has not been notified of a new sentencing date.
North Strabane police Detective John Wybranowski said he was contacted by police in Allegheny County after some evidence with ties to the township was discovered.
“There appears to be evidence to support he was involved in recent criminal activity in North Strabane at new housing developments,” Wybranowski said.
A General Electric double oven was recently reported stolen from a house under construction in the Majestic Hills plan.
Investigators in Allegheny County also asked for reports of similar crimes in the township.
“We were able to enter serial numbers in the National Crime Information Center of appliances stolen from houses under construction,” Wybranowski said, adding investigators will try and match those with the appliances recovered.
Fey was initially arrested in December 2012 after Cecil police received a report of two men loading appliances into the bed of a pickup truck and fleeing on Morganza Road. North Strabane police stopped the truck, driven by Fey, a short time later.
Fey told police they were subcontractors for Heartland Homes and had been told to pick up the appliances and take them to another development in Bridgeville.
Fey later admitted to also stealing appliances from houses under construction in the Concord Green housing plan in North Strabane. Cecil police also charged him with stealing appliances from a house on Maple Ridge Court.
South Strabane police charged him after he allegedly stole appliances from Lombard Circle in January 2013. A resident called police after seeing a pickup truck parked in a driveway and saw two men get out and walk around the house.
During his investigation, Torboli learned Fey had once worked for a drywall company hired as a subcontractor in the developments.
Fey, who was taken into custody in August, is in Allegheny County Jail. Also facing charges are Dwayne Vargo, 35, of Lowber, Dennis Vargo, 37 of East Pittsburgh, and Darius Shepler, 37, of Homestead.