Two arrests made in Mahanoy burglaries
Sentinel Staff Reports
MAHANOY CITY – Two arrests have been made in relation to a recent string of burglaries in the Mahanoy City area.
According to borough police, around 2:40am this morning, a police officer patrolling in a non-police vehicle foun a man walking on West Centre Street and acting suspiciously. The officer was patrolling in such a vehicle due to the recent burglaries.
The man, later identified as Jeremiah Spirko, 31, fled when officers in marked patrol cars approached him. Officers gave chase, and Spirko was caught on East Railroad Street.
Spirko was found to be in possession “of a variety of tools that could commonly be used by burglars,” police siad.
Spirko was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker on charges of loitering, prowling at nighttime, possession of instruments of crime, resisting arrest, and obstructing administration of law. He was committed to county prison in lieu of $25,000 cash bail.
On Monday, another man was taken into custody in relation to the burglaries.
Police were following up on a variety of leads in the burglary investigation,and searched a garage in the 1100 block of East Market Street, with permission of the property owner.
Officers found a man, George C. Hartranft, 46, in the second floor of the property, asleep, and possessing identification cards of two residents who lived in the same block as a home broken into in June.
Hartranft subsequently admitted to being inside that home, police said. He was arrainged by Magisterial District Judge Stephen Bayer on charges of burglary, criminal trespass, receiving stolen property, and identity theft, and committed to county prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.
About Author
