News

June 25, 2008

Three charged in theft from home

Police say trio waited until resident left house before stealing a TV and a computer.

By Ed Lewis elewis@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
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HAZLETON – Three men were charged Tuesday with stealing a television and a laptop computer from a home that they knew would be unoccupied, police said in arrest records.

Eric Diaz, 32, of East Diamond Avenue, Hazleton, was charged with burglary, theft, receiving stolen property, criminal trespass and four counts of criminal conspiracy.

Drew R. Wallace, 20, of Covey Lane, Drums, was charged with four counts of criminal conspiracy and a single count of making false reports to law enforcement.

Evan Maurer, 21, of West Benjamin Avenue, Conyngham, was charged with three counts of criminal conspiracy and a single count of making false reports to law enforcement.

All three were jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $25,000 bail.

According to the criminal complaints filed by officers Kevin Wagner and Thomas King:

Paul Wrobleski, of North Vine Street, left his home with his girlfriend, Nicole Stemko, to join friends to play miniature golf at about 5 p.m. Monday. Before they left, they asked Maurer if he wanted to go with them, but Maurer declined.

While Wrobleski’s home was unoccupied, a neighbor saw two men, later identified as Maurer and Diaz, remove a television and a laptop computer that were placed in a maroon Dodge Stratus, the criminal complaints say.

Police said Wallace remained in the vehicle when the items were taken from the home.

Wrobleski arrived home before 8 p.m. and noticed damage on his front door and his television and laptop computer missing. He told police his pit bull was not friendly to strangers and would not allow anyone the dog is not familiar with to enter his home.

Police said they found the Dodge parked near Wallace’s home in Drums.

Wallace initially told police that he loaned his car to his girlfriend earlier in the day, and that the car had been parked for two hours. When police felt the hood and told Wallace that the engine was warm, Wallace admitted to police that he loaned his car to Diaz and Maurer, the criminal complaints say.

Police said Maurer and Diaz were found at Diaz’s residence.

The three men were taken to the Hazleton Police Department, where Maurer and Wallace admitted that they drove to Wrobleski’s residence knowing he wasn’t home with plans to steal the television and computer, the criminal complaints say.

A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for July 1 in Central Court.

Steve Mocarsky, a Times Leader staff writer, contributed to this report.

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