Three face additional charges
Three men charged with stealing nearly $40,000 worth of bronze vases from a Redstone Township cemetery face additional charges for allegedly breaking into the Allison 2 Volunteer Fire Department last month. Brian K. Porter, 30, of Cardale, Timothy A. McKinney, 25, of New Salem and Walter A. Bella, 31, of Republic were each charged with burglary, theft, criminal mischief and conspiracy for allegedly stealing an $800 chain saw and an unspecified amount of money, alleged state police.
Authorities filed those charges, and additional charges against Porter and McKinney, on Tuesday.
Trooper James Pierce also alleged the three men caused $1,800 in damage during the break-in.
The charges come several days after the three were charged with stealing 125 bronze vases from monuments at the LaFayette Memorial Park on Route 40 in Brier Hill.
The vases were valued at about $300 each, but the men only got about $400 for all of them from a scrap dealer, police said.
Porter and McKinney also were charged with burglary, criminal mischief and conspiracy for allegedly breaking into the Newboro Indians Organization on Sept. 18. They caused an estimated $2,000, Pierce said.
Police also charged Porter and McKinney with attempted burglary and criminal mischief for two failed break-ins on Sept. 24. Police said that the men tried to break into Footedale Fire Hall and Salem Hill Lounge. They caused an estimated $600 in damages, police said.
All of the charges were filed with Magisterial District Judge Mike Defino Jr.
In a news release last week, Pierce listed nearly a dozen other break-ins in which the men were suspects. He and trooper Craig Yough from the Belle Vernon barracks are working on the cases together.