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Fired worker faces charges in shop thefts
Source:
Butler Eagle
Written by:
Jim Smith
Published:
August 25, 2010
ZELIENOPLE — A fired employee is accused of breaking into a tire shop last week week and hauling away tires, wheels and rotors worth more than $5,000.
Patrick J. Duncan, 31, of Ellwood City was arrested after he admitted to the Aug. 17 break-in and theft at Meyer's Tire on South Main Street, Zelienople police said.
Duncan was arraigned Thursday on charges of burglary and trespass, and 154 counts of theft and receiving stolen property. He is in the Butler County Prison on $25,000 bail.
Business manager Don Dambaugh discovered the crime Aug. 18. He immediately suspected an overnight "inside job" since there was no sign of forced entry, according to court documents.
A garage door opener also was missing from the office. Stolen merchandise included 40 tires, 24 wheels and 90 rotors.
Dambaugh noted he had recently fired Duncan, who had been at the shop and in the office on Tuesday to get his tool box.
During an interview with police later Wednesday, Duncan offered a confession, documents said. He acknowledged he took the garage door opener while in the office the day before.
About 11 p.m. Tuesday, he allegedly returned to the business, opened the door and drove his pickup truck inside.
Duncan told investigators he loaded the wheels, tires and rotors into the truck bed and drove away, documents said.
He sold at least some of the wheels and rotors to a New Castle scrap yard for $300, police said.
The tires, he said, were at the home of a friend, Aaron M. Sofelkanich, 30, of Ellwood City.
Officers went to Sofelkanich's house and found eight of the stolen tires, four already on his truck and four others in the truck, said Zelienople Police Chief Jim Miller
He told investigators he paid Duncan for the tires. Police believe Sofelkanich knew the tires were stolen when he bought them.
Police Thursday arrested Sofelkanich on a theft charge. He is free on $5,000 bail.
Preliminary hearings for Duncan and Sofelkanich were set for Tuesday at the office of District Judge Wayne Seibel in Evans City.
Meanwhile, Miller said the investigation is continuing. He would not say if police have identified other possible suspects.
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