Crime & Safety

St. Gabriel School Burglary Caught on Tape

The Whitehall Borough break-in was recorded by security cameras.

A person has been charged with two counts each of burglary, theft and criminal trespass at St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin School in Whitehall Borough after stealing two TVs and a radio from the school over its Christmas and New Year's break.

The thefts were discovered on Jan. 3—the day that students returned from break—according to a letter sent from school Principal Barbara Sawyer to students' parents and guardians.

The letter states that the burglary was able to be captured by security cameras, and through an investigation done by the Whitehall Police Department, a suspect was identified and arrested on Jan. 4.

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St. Gabriel Pastor John R. Haney has requested that the arrested not be identified, but Haney said that the person is not a St. Gabe's parishioner.

Whitehall police Deputy Chief Richard M. Danko said that the arrested is a 34-year-old woman residing in Pittsburgh's city limits. She is being charged with two counts of the abovementioned offenses because she entered the school twice to steal items.

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"Apparently, a key had been stolen," Sawyer wrote in her letter, "and that is how the perpetrator gained entry. It was also communicated by (Whitehall police) that the stolen property would be returned."

You can read Sawyer's full letter in the media gallery above.

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