Crime & Safety

Dormont, Brookline Men Arrested for Vehicle Thefts

Two men from Dormont and two from Brookline are accused of stealing numerous items from vehicles parked in the borough.

Four people were arrested last week in connection with a number of thefts from vehicles in Dormont.

Michael Muraco, 22 and Sean Holmes, 20, both of Dormont, as well as Ryan Bergener, 21, and Scott Thornton, 19, both of Brookline, were charged after police said they stole numerous items from vehicles in the borough.

Police responded to the 1300 block of Mississippi Avenue at 5:25 a.m. on June 12 after a resident reported that he saw four men walk into his garage. According to the police report, the resident yelled at the men to get off of his property, and the men ran away down Texas Avenue. 

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The resident told officers he watched the men run down the street as he called 911, and said the men continued to pull on car door handles as they ran away, according to the report. The resident provided a description of the men.

Police arrested Muraco and Holmes in the 3100 block of Gaylord Avenue, and arrested Bergener and Thornton on Dormont Avenue.

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The four men were carrying backpacks that police said contained numerous stolen items. Police said Muraco’s backpack contained two flashlights, black gloves and a large machete, as well as a vehicle manual. Officers also found marijuana, a marijuana pipe and a marijuana grinder, and a bottle of pills.

Other backpacks contained black gloves, a fishing pole, a Mini Cooper bag with a tire gauge in it, flashlights, a GPS, an iPod and phone chargers. Police are investigating which items were stolen and which items belonged to the men.

Muraco was charged with burglary, loitering and prowling at night, theft, disorderly conduct and possession of drug paraphernalia. 

Holmes, Thornton and Bergener were charged with burglary, loitering and prowling at night, and theft.

Items were reported stolen from cars on Arkansas, Illinois, Texas and Mississippi avenues.

Dormont police Chief Michael Bisignani said that he does not think this incident is related to the home burglaries reported earlier in June.


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