Trio Held for Court in Wilkinsburg Burglary

Two men and a woman were held for court by District Judge Kim M. Hoots last week on charges stemming from a burglary at a home in the 1800 block of Montier Street in Wilkinsburg on Oct. 6.

Wilkinsburg police filed charges of receiving stolen property, burglary, conspiracy-burglary and false report-falsely incriminating another against John Joseph Walkiewicz, 42, of 2296 Freeport Rd., Harmar Township; Shari Ann Sennett Brockman, 39, of the same address; and John Francis Brockman Jr., 21, of 1112 Stieren St., Brackenridge, in connection with the break-in.

On Oct. 6, Wilkinsburg police responded to a report of a burglary at the Montier Street home and discovered the front door had been forced open. Walkiewicz told police he had been housesitting for the resident and when he, Shari Brockman and another female came to check on the house and feed the dog, they saw the open door.

Police noted that the dog acted aggressively toward them, indicating that the burglar might have been someone who knows the dog. Walkiewicz reported that a desktop computer and printer were missing, and that the owner was returning from California.

According to a criminal complaint, two sets of gold silverware, a new 32-inch television and expensive old liquor were also missing from the house.

A female witness told police that Walkiewicz, Shari Brockman and her son, John Brockman, conspired to burglarize the residence. John Brockman wore gloves and kicked in the door, according to the witness, who also said Shari Brockman confided that she had some of the stolen items in her residence.

John Brockman, when confronted by investigators, said his mother had given him the silverware, alcohol and television. He retrieved one of the silverware sets from the basement of his home.

Brockman admitted to police he had gone to the house with his mother and Walkiewicz, and had sold the television to a man at New Express Foodmart in Brackenridge. When contacted, the man who bought the television returned it to Wilkinsburg police.

At the Walkiewicz-Brockman residence in Harmar, Shari Brockman produced the computer tower from the upstairs bedroom and two bottles of alcohol. According to the criminal complaint, she told police that her son and another man burglarized the residence, and she allowed them to store the stolen items in her house.

The burglary victim identified the stolen items that were recovered.

In other court news from Hoots' courtroom last week:

• Harry James Mitchell, 55, of 622 Middle Ave., Wilmerding, was held for court on charges of intentional possession of a controlled substance by a person not registered, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked and exceeding the 25 mph residential district speed limit by 15 mph. While running a Robic Accu Trac speed tracker on Penn Avenue on Sept. 6, a GMC Jimmy traveling west was clocked at 40 mph. According to the criminal complaint filed by Wilkinsburg police, Mitchell refused to stop the car for a block. When the officer approached the car, he noticed a plastic bag on the seat with a white substance believed to be cocaine.

• Hazel Harris, 45, of 826 Holland Ave., Wilkinsburg, was held for court on charges of theft by unlawful taking-moveable property and receiving stolen property filed by Wilkinsburg police. According to a criminal complaint, a Wilkinsburg officer responded to the 1200 block of Center Street for a stolen vehicle report. The car owner told police she suspected her former boyfriend of using a spare set of keys to steal the vehicle. As the officer took the report, the woman spotted him near the intersection of North Avenue, walking toward Mill Street. Police found him in the bushes at a North Avenue residence. He was taken to night court for arraignment.

For additional court hearings from last week, click here.

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