Jewelry theft suspect turns self in to police
A New Salem man wanted in a string of jewelry thefts turned himself in to police late Friday after two warrants were issued for his arrest.
Timothy Allen McKinney Jr., 31, was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Michael M. Metros and charged with burglary, criminal conspiracy, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief relating to several incidents dating back to 2011.
McKinney was placed in the Fayette County Jail on $100,000 straight cash bond on two separate counts.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, a Brownsville man told police that between $100,000 and $120,000 of jewelry belonging to his late wife was stolen Nov. 13 from his Brownsville residence.
The affidavit stated that McKinney then sold multiple pieces of the victim’s stolen jewelry to Robert P. Kasievich, owner of Audio Lab in Uniontown, who gave McKinney $2,780 in cash.
The victim drove to Audio Lab and spoke with Kasievich, providing him with pictures, inventory and a letter explaining the circumstances in which the jewelry was stolen.
Police said the victim requested the store contact him if any of the missing jewelry was brought there.
The affidavit went on to state during the course of the conversation, the victim noticed several pieces of his stolen jewelry in the display cases at the store.
The victim then went to police, who attempted to recover the items; however, Kasievich had left shortly after he spoke to the victim and closed his store early.
Employees at the store stated they could not locate Kasievich and did not have access to where the jewelry was located.
Instead of contacting police or the victim, the affidavit said Kasievich and McKinney met at Audio Lab, where Kasievich informed McKinney the jewelry was stolen.
Kasievich then demanded his money back and McKinney gave him $2,000 of the more than $6,000 that was originally paid to him for the items he sold.
Police said Kasievich gave some of the jewelry back to McKinney, but held the rest for collateral until he returned the remainder of the money.
When police arrived Monday at the Audio Lab, the store’s staff refused to cooperate with the investigation.
Police then obtained a search warrant and recovered about 50 pieces of the victim’s jewelry from the store.
Police added that several hundred pieces of the jewelry are still not located.
Police also issued a warrant for Kasievich’s arrest and plan to charge him with receiving stolen goods.
In a separate incident, police said McKinney and another male stole about $8,000 worth of jewelry on Sept. 29, 2011, from a residence along Searights Herbert Road in Menallen Township.
Police said McKinney and the man took the jewelry to King’s Jewelry in the Uniontown Mall and received $1,089 for the stolen goods.