Dec 7, 2018 3 min read

CANONSBURG – A suspect in a string of commercial burglaries in Washington and Allegheny counties was arrested Friday by state police in Canonsburg, where he’s accused of breaking into a Chinese restaurant.

District Judge David Mark sent the man, Robert Carl Keifer, 51, of Pittsburgh, to Washington County Jail on $100,000 bond on charges related to the 3 a.m. burglary at Wai Wai Buffet & Grill at 113 Cavasina Drive, court records show.

The state police Bureau of Criminal Investigation assisted in the case involving similar burglaries in Peters Township, Castle Shannon, Bethel Park, Scott Township, Brentwood and Collier Township, the affidavit indicates.

The crimes often involved one person wearing a hooded sweatshirt and gloves and having the same mannerisms and body type. Similar tools were also used to break into the businesses during the late night or early morning.

The suspect also appeared to have cased the businesses in strip malls, targeting those that did not have surveillance cameras or burglar alarms, police noted in court records. He also targeted businesses that were near each other, and sometimes broke into several of them in the same area on the same night.

In many cases, exterior and interior walls were broken through to get inside, or doors were cut apart, police stated.

Police said valuable items were bypassed by the suspect, who went straight to the office area, safe or cash register to steal currency.

Police said they were able to identify Keifer using surveillance at nearby businesses and other sources, including the registration of his Ford pickup truck, which had been caught several times on camera, the record states.

Police said he was placed under surveillance and was seen leaving Dormont while driving his father’s vehicle about 1:13 a.m. Friday. The vehicle parked at a strip mall where Wai Wai is located. Keifer allegedly waited until 2:40 a.m. to get out of the truck.

“He was kept under constant surveillance by members of the Pennsylvania State Police,” the affidavit states.

He allegedly used a pry bar in a first attempt to get inside the restaurant through a rear door, and then used a hammer to damage an overhead light.

Police claim he eventually got inside the business about 3:18 a.m. and ransacked the register and surrounding area to steal money.

He was arrested at 3:40 a.m., one minute after leaving the area, during a traffic stop conducted by troopers from the Washington barracks.

He was charged with one felony count each of burglary, theft and receiving stolen property.