District Court: Pair Waives Charges in Connection with Sewickley Home Burglary

Two men from Sewickley and Leet Township, accused of pawning more than $30,000 in stolen goods from a Sewickley home, recently waived criminal charges to court.

Allegheny County Police charged Jordan Brown, 21, of Hill Street, Sewickley, and Nicholas Skoski, 19, of Eckert Street, Leet, with theft, criminal conspiracy, criminal mischief and receiving stolen property. Brown is also charged with burglary.

Charges against a third man, James T. Borland, 18, of Meade Drive, Moon, were continued to December. Borland faces criminal mischief, criminal conspiracy and receiving stolen property charges.

Police said an investigation began Sept. 7 when detectives were called about a burglary at a Cochran Street home. Police said a relative who was checking the house discovered the place had been broken into and ransacked. An old family chest had been damaged with what appeared to be a hammer, police said, and a file cabinet lock was broken during the burglary. Several cabinet door handles were ripped off the doors and a cabinet door was damaged, police said.

When the owners returned home, police said they were able to provide an inventory of a large amount of items that were missing. The missing items ranged from serving sets and other silver to numerous pieces of jewelry, collectible military items and precious metals.

Police said several prints were lifted from the bathroom medicine cabinet mirrors that matched Brown's prints.

Police learned that Brown went to Atlantic Precious Metal Refining in Leetsdale and Atlantic Precious Gold Exchange in Robinson on Sept. 6 and sold numerous items in exchange for $4,080. Police said the couple was able to identify several belongings stolen from their home, including 85 spoons, 65 forks, 6 butter knives, a ladle, a teapot, a water pitcher and a napkin holder.

Police said Brown and Borland also went to American Coin Rarities in Coraopolis on separate occasions Sept. 6 and 7 to sell more items that included a christening chalice and birth cup with the victims’ names engraved on them. The two received $3,900 total from the transactions, which were captured on surveillance video.

Police said Brown also received $7,897 for items he cashed in at Yuriy’s Jewelery Store in the Robinson Town Centre Mall on two occasions. The items included a large amount of jewelry, police said. Police said Skoski accompanied Brown to Yuriy's and traded stolen candelabras for $1,100.

A clerk at Yuriy’s told police the men mentioned that they had just come from the Pittsburgh International Airport where they exchanged a large amount of euros for U.S. currency, police said.

Police met with the owner of the airport’s Travelex store and learned the two on Sept 4 did exchange 480 Euros for $592.57. Police again identified the two through video surveillance.

On Sept. 19, police accompanied the victims back to Atlantic Precious Metal Refining where even more items were identified, including a Revolutionary War and Civil War sword. Police said Borland and Brown went together on Sept. 6 and Borland received $4,080 total from two transactions.

In all, police said the men received $32,832.57 in a span of four days of pawning stolen items.

Brown remains in Allegheny County Jail on $10,000 bond. Skoski was released on the premise that he would return for court at a later date.

The following people were charged and scheduled for preliminary hearings Nov. 15 at District Judge Robert Ford's office in Leetsdale:

Waived

Adam Phillips, 33, of Crafton, charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. reported that Phillips admitted he had too much to drink when he entered a DUI checkpoint at 2:30 a.m. Aug. 6 on Route 65 in Leetsdale. A reckless driving charge was withdrawn.

Withdrawn

Christopher Hamren, 52, of Glen Osborne, was charged with aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person. Charges were withdrawn.