South Strabane Township police Chief Donald Zofchak said 42-year-old Frank J. Bruno - arrested on an unrelated retail theft charge - confessed Sunday to numerous burglaries that had baffled investigators for more than two weeks.
Police charged Bruno, whose address is unknown, in three burglaries at the A Plus Sunoco convenience store on Murtland Avenue.
The burglar hit the A Plus Sunoco May 22, June 1 and 5 and entered through the rooftop ventilation system on the final two occasions, police said.
The trail led to Bruno on Saturday afternoon when medics were called to a possible drug overdose at an East Washington home on North Avenue. Officers from East Washington and South Strabane responded and found Bruno at the scene.
Two women at the house told investigators they recognized Bruno from a surveillance photo in the Observer-Reporter and that Bruno possessed some items that pointed to his involvement in the burglaries, Zofchak said.
"People there at the scene conveyed to the officers that we better look at him for the burglaries," Zofchak said. "From that point, the officers picked it up and started gathering things."
Police in Washington and Chartiers Township also suspect Bruno is responsible for similar burglaries in their municipalities during that span. The Mega Express Exxon store on Ridge Avenue in the city was burglarized three times, while the burglar struck Gabby Food Mart on West Pike Street in Chartiers twice.
Investigators from both departments plan to interview Bruno this week before filing charges.
"I'm very happy with the cooperation from the police departments and the community," Zofchak said. "We've been scrambling here the past couple of weeks. It's a good feeling."
After his release from Washington Hospital Sunday, South Strabane police interviewed Bruno about two thefts last month from Sam's Club at Trinity Point. A purple bicycle Bruno owns was seen on a surveillance video when two DVD players were taken from the store.
As officers were preparing to charge Bruno with retail theft, police said he confessed to the burglaries, which paid for his crack addiction.
Police charged Bruno on Monday with three counts each of burglary, theft and criminal mischief. District Judge Jay Weller expected to arraign Bruno today.
Bruno is being held at Washington County Jail on $25,000 bond because of the retail theft charge.
Washington police Lt. Dan Stanek said they learned of the arrest over the weekend, and Bruno is "more than likely involved in ours, too." They are continuing to investigate, but Stanek expects charges to be filed in the next few days.
Chartiers police Chief James Horvath said his department plans to interview Bruno before filing any charges, although he also is confident Bruno was involved in the two burglaries at Gabby Food Mart.