By Michael Jones, Staff writer

mjones@observer-reporter.com

Three Pittsburgh men were arraigned this week on charges stemming from a January burglary in which they allegedly took a hodgepodge of items worth nearly $4,000 from a Washington County residence.

South Strabane Township police charged Matthew M. Berberich, Thomas E. Sasser and Daniel E. Espy, all from the Brookline neighborhood of the city, with one count each of burglary, theft and criminal conspiracy.

District Judge Jay Weller arraigned Sasser and Espy on Thursday and Berberich on Friday. Weller set their bond at $10,000 cash each, although all three face other charges from Allegheny County.

South Strabane police said Berberich, Espy and Sasser went into a residence on Kopper Kettle Road on Jan. 3 and stole an X-Box game system, more than 30 video games, several DVDs, a computer and flatscreen monitor, two chainsaws, two drills, a shotgun, handgun, hair clippers and a gallon jug full of change. The items carried a combined value of $3,942.

South Strabane Detective John Bruner said Berberich, 20, admitted to investigators on Feb. 6 that he and the two other men went to the house to steal the items and sell them to buy heroin. Berberich sold the two guns on the street, police said.

Espy, 24, and Sasser, 20, were questioned two days later and gave similar confessions, Bruner said. Sasser told police they knew the victim, Terry Simmons, and were friends with his son, Ryan.

In addition to the charges in Washington County, Bruner said Berberich was arrested by Pittsburgh police Thursday for allegedly burglarizing another home. He's also being investigated for robbing scratch-off lottery tickets from a convenience store while wearing roller blades, Bruner said.

Sasser has a felony burglary warrant from Allegheny County for an incident in Dormont, Bruner said. He was transported to Washington County Jail.

Espy was taken to Allegheny County Jail where he is facing charges for the same Dormont burglary, Bruner said.

A preliminary hearing for the burglary in South Strabane is scheduled for 1 p.m. March 17 before Weller.

Home