Police Investigating Ross Township Burglary

January 4, 2013 6:29 PM

(Photo Courtesy: Ross Township Police)

Reporting Bob Allen

Filed under

Local, News, Syndicated Local

ROSS TOWNSHIP (KDKA) – The Ross Township Police Department is investigating an early Friday morning burglary.

It happened at Kretzler’s Tavern in the 2200-block of Babcock Boulevard around 2:50 a.m.

“They just broke a little hole in here and opened the door, and I don’t know what they did next,” said Butch Kretzler, the owner. “They tried prying this room open. They got it open.”

While they were breaking into the beer storage room, one of the thieves looked up at the camera.

The other burglar is shown putting his hand over his partner’s face to shield from the camera. Police say they believe that’s a sign one of them knew the camera was there.

“It’s curious how someone is that familiar with the back room, whether it be a former employee or just a patron or an old employee,” said Detective Brian Kohlhepp, of Ross Township Police. “That is something we’ve taken note of. It’s somewhat in accordance with some of the investigative leads we’ve been following in this case.”

After they learned it was a beer storage room, the thieves headed for the office. They pried the office door open and took a 400-pound safe containing an undetermined amount of cash.

“We had a bunch of checks, maybe this many checks left, and I don’t know what to do about that, and there’s two days deposits in there,” Kretzler said.

Anyone with information about the burglary is asked to call Ross Township Police.