Published: February 21, 2008 10:29 pm      

Two suspects charged in burglaries

BOSWELL — State police have arrested and charged two suspects in a string of area burglaries, including a break-in at the borough’s Uni-Mart on Wednesday morning.

A store security camera captured images of the 4:12 a.m. burglary, committed by a man wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and blue tennis shoes, police said. He was carrying a yellow, cut-off saw, which he used to open an ATM machine.

He also grabbed cartons of Newport and Kool cigarettes Wednesday morning.

Later that day, Pittsburgh police stopped a vehicle that ran a school bus light and then a red light in the city.

The sergeant questioned 26-year-old Richard Henry Deluca of Friedens, who gave a false name at first, according to court documents.

Deluca’s outfit matched the clothing description and the sergeant also noticed a yellow, cut-off saw in the vehicle and a large number of Newport and Kool cigarettes.

Deluca and passenger, 23-year-old Jennifer Rene Leskovich of Jenners, were taken into custody on unrelated charges.

Police said they later confessed to burglarizing the store and making off with more than $2,000 in cash as well as the cigarettes.

Police also said the two were involved in two residential burglaries.

On Feb. 14, Leskovich, Deluca and a third perpetrator used cell phones to carry out the burglary of Kenneth Daniels’ Jenner Township home, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

While Leskovich waited at a remote location in a vehicle belonging to Deluca’s grandmother, Deluca and another man forced their way into the house and stole two firearms, a collection of antique coins worth $2,000, DVDs, and quarters, dimes and nickels, police said.

Leskovich and Deluca then drove to Pittsburgh to sell the coins and DVD collection to pawnshops, police said.

A day before that burglary, Deluca served as a lookout while the same man involved in the Daniels burglary broke into Susan Kay McClellan’s Quemahoning Township home, police said. The two took jewelry and coins and then Deluca and Leskovich pawned those items, according to an affidavit.

The two face charges of burglary, theft, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief.

Deluca and Leskovich were charged late Wednesday before District Judge Susan Mankamyer in Boswell.

Their preliminary hearings are set for Monday before Mankamyer, who set bond at $120,000 for Deluca and $75,000 for Leskovich.