May 4, 2009 2 min read

Uniontown police arrested four teenagers who were about to invade a home in the city Sunday afternoon. Sgt. Jonathan Grabiak said four males – a 17 year old, two 14 year olds and a 13 year old – were charged with criminal attempt to commit a burglary and possessing instruments of a crime as a result of the incident. According to Grabiak, police received a call at 3:38 p.m. stating that five suspects wearing masks were allegedly attempting to break into 81 W. Berkeley St.

Grabiak said he and officers Thomas Kolencik, Fred Kampert, John Kauer and Eric Hanula immediately responded and found five males standing on the back porch of the residence.

One of the suspects ran toward Morgantown Street after seeing police, Grabiak said, noting that the male wore a black cloth mask.

Grabiak said officers took the other four suspects into custody, noting that all of the teenagers wore cloth masks. Three of the suspects were also wearing rubber gloves, Grabiak said.

Officers took all four teenagers into custody without incident, Grabiak said.

Grabiak said Matthew Ciampanelli of Uniontown, who resides at 81 W. Berkeley St., told police he did not know any of the suspects and that they had no reason to be on his porch.

Hanula said a witness who reported the incident saw the five suspects walking in the alley between Morgantown Street and Clarendon Avenue and became suspicious when the suspects put masks on and pulled hoods over their heads.

The witness reported seeing the suspects jump over a wall and walk to the back of 81 W. Berkeley St., according to the police report.

Grabiak said the teenagers were taken to the Uniontown Police Department and that their guardians and Fayette County Juvenile Probation were notified.

All of the teenagers were placed in a juvenile detention center in Ohio following the incident.

Two of the juveniles were on probation as a result of charges stemming from other incidents, officials said.