SHAMOKIN - Two men accused of stealing copper wire from an abandoned building and then breaking into a downtown city business each waived his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday morning.
Charges against Robert A. Zellers III, 20, of 313 State Route 61, Coal Township, and Kevin Kish, 50, of 704 N. Shamokin St., Apartment 1, were waived to Northumberland County Court following a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III.
Both men face two felony counts each of burglary, criminal trespass and conspiracy to commit burglary, and a misdemeanor of loitering and prowling at night in connection with burglaries at 169 N. Grant St. and at Nature's Health Food Store, 133-135 E. Independence St.
Found in basement
Shamokin Cpl. Darwin Tobias III said he was conducting checks in the downtown district shortly before 4 a.m. when he spotted a man duck into a small door leading to the basement area of the food store. Tobias said he found fresh footprints in the snow and, upon searching the basement, he located a man, later identified as Zellers, and another male police said was Kish.
Zellers and Kish allegedly admitted to breaking into the basement of the business, but claimed they did not steal anything. They did admit to the wire theft, which occurred at about 3:30 a.m., police said.
Kish told police he was "just looking to make a couple bucks."
Assisting Tobias were Shamokin Patrolman Scott Weaver and Coal Township officers Edward Purcell and Terry Ketchem.
The two men were ordered by Gembic to appear at the Sunbury courthouse for plea court on Monday, March 25, where they can either plead guilty or no contest, or seek a trial by pleading not guilty.
