NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 717.255.3040

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
15 August 2005

4 ADULTS, 13 JUVENILES NOW ARRESTED IN SERIES OF CITY BURGLARIES

Mayor Stephen R. Reed today announced that city police have arrested 17 persons in connection with a series of burglaries that occurred in the city over the past 4 months. The suspects have been charged with more than 100 counts in connection with the spree.

Reed said the Midtown, Uptown and Riverside neighborhoods were the targeted areas of the suspects, who hit at least 18 different locations that police can verify, and probably did more. Most of the suspects live in the same areas, and likely cased the sites prior to their break-ins.

Now charged with multiple counts that include Burglary, Conspiracy to Commit Burglary, Robbery, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Theft, Conspiracy to Commit Theft and Receiving Stolen Property are Roy Alston, age 24, on 5 total counts; Charles Davis, age 25, on 4 counts; 19-year old Michael Hull on 22 counts; and 18-year old Jerome E. McCowin on 8 counts. Police had also previously arrested 19-year old Gregory L. White of Steelton in connection with the cases.

Also charged in connection with the spree are 13 juveniles, so far, who have had a total of 61 counts of Burglary, Conspiracy to Commit Burglary and Theft lodged against them. The suspects include three 16-year olds, four 15-year olds, two-14 year olds, a 12-year old and three 11-year olds. All have been released to the custody of their parents or guardians.

The Mayor had directed that concentrated undercover surveillance and investigatory teams be targeted on the burglary spree.

“Our appreciation is extended to the Harrisburg Police Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Division for their dedicated efforts to solve these crimes and arrest those responsible,” said Mayor Reed. “The sheer volume of their crimes was unusual, but in the end may have helped trip them up. Their modus operandi was fairly standard and, once one suspect was identified and questioned, many others soon found themselves targeted.”

The city’s undercover operation has been focused upon the spree for several months, conducting scores of interviews, performing hundreds of hours of stakeouts and other investigatory work to bring about the arrests announced today. Additional arrests are possible, as are additional charges against those already arrested as more cases are revealed.