Feb 14, 2018 2 min read

Two Mon Valley men are in custody on accusations they orchestrated a burglary at a pizza shop where one of them worked as a clerk.

Rostraver Township police charged the former employee of the Little Caesars Pizza shop on Route 51, David Paul Vankavelaar of Webster, and his friend, Zachary Martin Gonzales of Arnold City, Washington Township, with conspiring to steal more than $600 from the business’ safe about 12:40 a.m. Jan. 28, court records show.

Police said the plot began when Vankavelaar, 25, left the door unlocked and went into the men’s room at the pizza shop, which is inside a Marathon Gas station at 4975 Route 51 South. The business was closed at the time, police stated in court records.

A minute later, Gonzales, 25, walked into the Marathon store, entered the pizza shop through an interior door and looked around before taking the key to the safe, police allege in the affidavit supporting the criminal charges in the case.

Police said Gonzales “belly crawled” under the front counter to reach the safe and steal more than $500 in bills and $100 worth of coins, the court records allege. Gonzales backed out from under of the counter the same way he went in and returned the safe key to its perch, police claim.

Vankavellar, of 963 Route 906 South, came out of the men’s room at 12:41 a.m., two minutes after Gonzales left the store, court records indicate.

Police said an officer viewed hours of store video surveillance before drawing the conclusions outlined in the criminal complaint.

Gonzales, of 31 Marian Villa, was seen hanging out with Vankavelaar inside the Marathon store several hours before the theft, police said. The two men are friends and reportedly had previously shared Vankavelaar’s home.

Vankavelaar allegedly confessed to the conspiracy, saying he felt sorry for “Gonzales’ situation and that he had no money,” the court record indicates.

Valnkavelaar also reportedly told police he did not collect any money from the burglary.

He is charged with conspiracy to commit a burglary, break-in, theft and receiving stolen property. He also is charged with a general count of conspiracy.

Gonzales faces charges of burglary, trespassing, theft, receiving stolen property and conspiracy.

District Judge Charles Christner sent both of the suspects to the Westmoreland County jail, each on $25,000 bond.