Just hours after being released on unsecured bond Monday for allegedly breaking into a North Huntingdon auto parts store, township police say the same 40-year-old man broke into a local pizza shop and stole $180.
Stephen M. Wray of North Huntingdon appeared for the second time this week before District Judge Wayne Gongaware Thursday on multiple charges of burglary, criminal trespass and receiving stolen property for allegedly burglarizing Mama Pepinos Pizza on Norwin Avenue sometime overnight between Monday and Tuesday.
Police allege Wray pried open a rear door with a screwdriver and broke into the cash register.
On Monday morning, Wray appeared before Gongaware on identical burglary and theft charges filed by township police for allegedly burglarizing Spitz Auto, his former employer, late Saturday and taking $160. Police said Wray was arrested after officers recognized him on a store security camera.
While Wray was released from custody Monday on unsecured bond, he was not as fortunate Thursday, according to court dockets. Gongaware ordered Wray to the Westmoreland County Prison on $100,000 bail for the pizza shop break-in between Monday and Tuesday and an earlier burglary he allegedly confessed to at the same business July 6, according to court dockets.
According to court documents, Wray was connected to the pizza shop burglary after a security camera in the plaza captured a white work van parked in the vicinity during the burglary. The van was traced to James D. Walker Jr., 42, of North Versailles, according to police.
When police questioned Walker Tuesday, he admitted conspiring with Wray to burglarize the business after it closed.
“Wray confessed to committing the burglary,” officer Jeremy Nichols wrote in court papers.
Police said Wray also confessed to the 2:30 a.m. July 6 burglary when $190 was reported stolen
Walker was charged by police with criminal conspiracy and ordered held in the county prison after failing to post $10,000 bail.
