Police say three men who broke into more than a dozen social clubs across Western Pennsylvania, including Jefferson County, are now facing charges.
Police say they’ve been building their case against three men for running an organized burglary ring.
It’s been more than seven months since police say overnight thieves swiped $23,000 from the Sykesville Eagles Club, cutting phone and alarm wires, and taking safes.
“The ATM machine was just ripped off its hinges and smashed,” says Eagles officer Dave Reiter.
It’s a machine that had just been filled up with money, according to Retier. He says police made a big find in Kittanning a couple weeks later.
“Safes that were drilled open and found all our paperwork, minutes, financial records, everything,” says Reiter.
In December, police reportedly arrested the three men near an American Legion in Gilpin Township, Armstrong County.
On Friday, police announced a grand jury had recommended charges last week for Gary Nau, 42, Munhall; Bryan Delandro, 27, Pittsburgh; and Christopher Sullivan, 38, South Park, Allegheny County.
“They have plenty of pictures that we had, but they had masks on the whole time,” says Reiter.
“I like it OK because they caught them,” says Reynoldsville American Legion adjutant Tom Weaver.
The trio’s expected to be charged in Jefferson County. Police say the September-to-December crime spree also went to Elk, Armstrong, Clarion, Crawford, Mercer, and Westmoreland counties, with 15 places total — including Legions, VFWs, Moose clubs, Eagles clubs, and fire clubs.
Police say their big haul totaled $66,000 in cash, with damage estimated at $90,000.
“They do a lot of things here at the club for different charities and stuff like that and it hurt the club,” says Legion member Joan Brethauer.
Weaver says an alarm scared the thieves away here at the Legion.
“That back door right there. That’s the one that they pried open and now it’s a completely sealed door,” says Weaver.
He says they’ve added more cameras since to get more angles on any other potential thieves.
“I can imagine why, it’s called greed,” says Weaver.
The clubs say insurance covered most damages.
According to the Armstrong County Jail, the three were released there in April or May, and Sullivan was sent to state prison. Police say some of the 15 burglaries were only attempted, but not completed.
The VFW in Brockport was also targeted around the same time.
Police say their investigation used cell phones, fingerprints and video — which had to be carefully analyzed because the clubs say these thieves operated at night wearing masks.
Nau, Delandro, and Sullivan are facing charges of corrupt organizations, burglary, theft, and conspiracy, police said.
