Canonsburg woman accused of stealing from mourners waives hearing
A Canonsburg woman arrested last month by Canonsburg police after she allegedly stole items from vehicles of mourners parked outside a West Pike Street church waived a hearing on the charges she faces, including a new one added Tuesday.
Sabrina Hancock, 30, of 124 W. College St., appeared before District Judge David Mark to waive a preliminary hearing on the initial charges filed against her of theft from a motor vehicle, theft, receiving stolen property, carrying a firearm without a license and illegal transfer of a gun, in addition to the new charge of person not to possess a firearm.
Police were called Aug. 27 to St. Patrick Church, 317 W. Pike St., after mourners who had been inside for a funeral Mass discovered that items had been stolen from their vehicles, which had been parked on the street in front of the church.
Four people reported items stolen from their vehicles including a handgun, global-positioning system, wallet, sunglasses, laptop computer, two GoPro cameras and other items.
An employee of the funeral home gave police a description of a woman, later identified by authorities as Hancock, who had been picking up items from the sidewalk in front of the church. Hancock allegedly claimed she was picking up the items after dropping two bags she had been carrying. Hancock then walked away on West Pike before turning onto Hutchinson Avenue, police said.
Police later received a tip that a car had picked up a woman matching the description and took her to a home on Murdock Street. The woman was not at the home, but police went to her former place of employment, where they got her name. Police used their computer records to find Hancock’s address. They said some of the items were found inside her apartment. Hancock allegedly told police she sold the gun for $150. Detective Michael Ledger, who filed the charges against Hancock, said Tuesday while some of the stolen items have been recovered by police, the gun, laptop computer, a pair of sunglasses, a GoPro camera and cellphone have not been located.
Hancock remains in Washington County jail on $25,000 bond. She is scheduled for formal arraignment on the charges Oct. 30.