Update: Multi-County Burglary Ring Broken Up

Six men from Allegheny County have been charged in a series of vehicle break-ins and burglaries that occurred in Moon and several surrounding communities. 

Moon Police Chief Leo McCarthy said law enforcement agencies from Allegheny, Washington, Butler and Mercer counties as well as Pennsylvania State Police collaborated in the months-long investigation, which has resulted in four arrests.  Two of the men involved, McCarthy said, are still at large. 

McCarthy said the men worked together to target suburban communities that were easily accessible from major highways. They stole a motorcycle and other items worth thousands of dollars from unlocked vehicles and unsecured garages. 

"These are primarily cases of theft from a vehicle," McCarthy said. "They entered unsecured cars and garages -- it was rare that a vehicle was broken into when it was locked." 

McCarthy said the group was responsible for 31 theft incidents in the township since March 2009. 

The men charged are Michael A. Welsh, 20; Jesse Brazell, 24; Joshua L. Evans, 24; Jesse Evans, 22; Michael Hirschfield 24; and Richard Glynn, 23. All of the men are from Allegheny County. 

McCarthy said police in West Virginia apprehended Jesse and Joshua Evans. They remain jailed there. Officers in other jurisdictions arrested two of the other men involved, although he was not sure which departments.

Specific charges for the men are not yet available, but McCarthy said charges will likely include theft, burglary and receiving stolen property. 

McCarthy said investigators identified the suspects through fingerprints. He said the men often left items behind at crime scenes. 

He said the Evans brothers provided a statement to Moon detectives, leading to the identification of several of the men involved. 

Pennsylvania State Police said the men stole handguns and rifles, small electronics such as iPods, laptops and GPS systems as well as purses and wallets. Many of the items were sold for cash. 

"During interview conducted by investigators, some of the criminal participants explained that they targeted the suburban neighborhoods due what they believed to be was a false sense of security in those neighborhoods," according to a statement released by state police.

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