Crime & Safety

Man Charged in Shafer Road Burglary Arrested in Ross

Brian Flesher is accused of committing a string of local burglaries, including one in Moon Township.

Ross Township police have charged Brian James Flesher, 26, and Garrett William Lucas, 24, both of Pittsburgh, in three separate burglaries late last year.

Flesher, who is on parole in connection to a Lawrence County burglary, has been charged with committing a string of Pittsburgh-area burglaries, including one on Shafer Road in Moon Township. 

Moon Township Police said a woman and her 13-year-old daughter on December 5 arrived to their township home and saw Flesher's car parked in their driveway.

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Flesher ran from the house carrying a jewelry box and drove off in the car, according to a criminal complaint.

Police caught Flesher later that day in Pittsburgh with the help of the teen, who snapped a photo of the man's car. He has since been identified by police in connection to other, similar burglaries. 

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In Ross Township: 

The Confessions
According to the criminal complaint, Flesher confessed to all three break-ins, and even showed officers exactly which homes he and Lucas hit. Flesher told police he wanted to get everything "out in the open" so that he could begin to get himself help for his drug addiction, the criminal complaint stated.

In a separate interview, Lucas also confessed, telling police it was "stupid" but he was desperate because he wasn't working and his girlfriend had just lost her job, the criminal complaint states.

The Burglaries

Nov. 25
Police said Flesher forced open a side door, and stole some coins and coin wrappers from a home on Upper Arrowhead Road. According to the criminal complaint, Flesher told police Lucas was present for the burglary, but did not enter the home.

Nov. 29
Police said the pair kicked in the side door of a home on Lucerne Avenue and stole cash and a laptop computer.

Nov. 30
Police said Flesher and Lucas forced their way into a home on Cardiff Road, in the middle of the afternoon, and made off with jewelery and cash.

Other Charges

Flesher is also facing charges of burglarizing a home on Perrymont Road in McCandless and stealing several thousand dollars worth of jewelery.

In the criminal complaint police say Flesher also confessed to burglaries in Ohio Township, McCandless, Franklin Park and Pine. The daytime burglaries were similar to a Moon Township burglary with which Flesher was charged, the criminal complaint states.

Flesher and Lucas are scheduled for a preliminary hearing before Magistrate Richard Opeila on Jan. 30.

A formal arraignment on the Moon Township charges is scheduled for Jan. 30. 


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