Burglar Advertises Stolen Items on Craigslist, Caught by Police

I was not sure whether to file a recent article under “Stupid burglars” or “Social media/burglary topics” – but maybe it belongs in both! It’s true that some intruders are remarkably dim-witted, and there are plenty of FrontPoint blog posts on that subject, but it’s also true that residential crime overlaps with current technology more and more: like burglars using Facebook to case people’s vacation plans, or police using Facebook to circulate pictures of intruders for identification purposes, and so on. And here’s a great example of a criminal using the latest technology: a serial burglar who listed the spoils of his thefts on Craigslist.

Northern Regional police are proving you can find just about anything on Craigslist — even burglary suspects. Chief T. Robert Amman said officers from the department used the classified advertisement website to track down a Pittsburgh man suspected of stealing power tools from businesses across the North Hills. “It was good work done by them,” Amman said. “They were checking Craigslist and they found some matches on the tools taken.”

Details of the Crimes

Jeremy Lee Caskey, of McKees Rocks, is charged with theft, receiving stolen property, burglary and criminal mischief in the incidents. According to Amman, Caskey broke into vehicles and storage trailers at Air Duct Maintenance Inc., and Knobeloch Heating and Cooling in Bakerstown to steal construction tools. He also is charged with stealing power tools from XTO Energy, in the Thorn Hill Industrial Park, and from Watt Auto Body in Wexford. In November, Caskey also broke into the Scoreboard Restaurant & Lounge in Richland Township but didn’t take anything, the chief said. “The alarm went off, and he fled,” Amman said.

Now that’s what we like to hear: an alarm system that went off and caused a burglar to leave in a hurry. It continues to amaze me that with a burglary happening every 14 seconds in the US (FBI statistic), only one in five homes has a monitored alarm system. Good Old-Fashioned Police Work

Amann said detectives contacted Caskey after discovering he was selling construction tools on Craigslist that matched the description of the stolen items. On Feb. 25, Caskey agreed to meet with undercover officers posing as customers in Shaler. Amman said Caskey pulled up to the spot in the same 1998 Chevy Blazer that surveillance video recorded leaving the Scoreboard in November.  “When he showed up, he was arrested,” Amman said. The chief said officers recovered more items reported stolen after serving a warrant to search Caskey’s home. The chief said Caskey admitted to the thefts and to committing burglaries in Cranberry, McCandless, Hampton and Pittsburgh.

Another burglar behind bars, we hope – and that’s a good thing. But let’s revisit that failed burglary attempt, where the alarm scared off Mr. Caskey: the same positive outcome could happen in your home, if you have made the modest investment in the peace of mind that a monitored alarm system can provide. And when you consider how affordable these systems are, and how much they can do with today’s advanced interactive technology, it makes even more sense. FrontPoint knows all about protecting your home and family – it’s our highest priority. We even have a great list of tips for the safe use of social media. And we’ll keep on sharing great tips and news when we find them: it’s our goal to be your resource for crime statistics, burglar behaviors, and the latest technologies to thwart intruders. After all, FrontPoint is the only alarm company in the country to use safer wireless monitoring in every system we’ve ever sold – and charge less for it. But what people really know us for is our smarter Interactive level of monitoring. Make sure your home is protected: by FrontPoint, the leader in wireless home security, and the #1 ranked alarm company in the US.

http://pine-richland.patch.com/articles/northern-regional-police-use-craigslist-to-nab-burglary-suspect