Police file more charges against alleged Bear Rocks burglars
Police have filed additional charges against two suspects accused of breaking into at least nine residences in the Bear Rocks area of Bullskin Township.
State police Trooper James A. Pierce said the additional charges were filed against the pair after police found a stolen rifle inside one of the homes the suspects allegedly broke into and then squatted in.
As a result of the discovery, Pierce said Sommer L. Inks, 27, of Hibbs and Daniel H. Ward, 25, of Acme were each charged before Magisterial District Judge Ronald Haggerty Jr. with receiving stolen property and criminal conspiracy. Pierce said that they found the gun inside one of the residences the tandem broke into, a house at 140 Horseshoe Bend Road.
Pierce said that the gun is owned by Raymond Mackey of 113 Bethann Road in Bear Rocks, and added that Inks and Ward also had burglarized Mackey’s home during their break-in spree in the Bear Rocks community in June.
Pierce said Inks and Ward broke in to nine residences during June and removed a variety of items, including televisions, video equipment, jewelry, money and guns.
Police were able to identify the suspects after they found personal items of the couple inside burglarized summer homes.
Pierce said that investigators also discovered that copper wire from the attic and appliances had been removed from some of the residences where it appeared the two were squatting, said police.
During the search of a nearby wooded area, police additionally located other items belonging to Ward and Inks, and jewelry, coins, clothing and video equipment that also had been reported as stolen.
The two already face multiple counts of burglary, theft and criminal conspiracy.