CLEARFIELD – A Grampian man will be spending time in state prison for the burglary of an area car dealer and a church.
David Jeffery Allen, 27, 5498 Chestnut Grove Hwy., Grampian, an inmate of state prison, pleaded guilty Monday in Clearfield County Court to burglary, criminal conspiracy, and criminal mischief in two cases.
The original plea agreement for a two year minimum sentence was rejected by Clearfield County President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman, who said he was “not satisfied” and asked for a 32-month minimum. Allen agreed and was sentenced to a total of 32 months to 10 years in state prison. He was fined $7 plus costs and must pay restitution of almost $6,000.
Prior to sentencing, Allen apologized to the victims, stating it was “a stupid decision on my part” and it “never should have happened.”
Allen and his co-defendant, David Michael Schurr, 28, 501 S. Brady St., DuBois, broke into Royers 219 Auto Sales on Jan. 28 and into the Emmanuel Church of the Nazarene in Sandy Township on Jan. 29. In June, Schurr pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two to six years in state prison.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, the manager told police when he opened the business he saw his office had been ransacked and the safe was pried open. A broken window on the back side near the garage appeared to be the point of entry for the thieves.
Once inside the building, they opened locked cabinets, safes and a petty cash box. The cash missing totaled $2,200 and 16 inspection stickers valued at $4,360 were also missing. Other items taken were two computer towers, a wireless internet card, a cell phone and charger. The total value was estimated to be $9,740.
There was damage to multiple surveillance cameras and the surveillance system estimated at $5,865.
Surveillance footage was still available from the crime, and police were able to view two males in the office area breaking into the safe with a crow bar. Both males were wearing hooded sweatshirts and they left the business in a dark colored Dodge Intrepid.
The next day, the business received a call from a man who claimed to be the burglar and who knew details of the burglary. He called later to say he dropped off the inspection stickers near Agway. Employees were able to recover these items.
A witness told police Allen offered to sell him stolen inspection stickers. When this man saw the footage from the surveillance cameras, he recognized Allen.
On Jan. 30, police received another tip identifying Allen and Schurr as the ones in the video. Police then went to Schurr’s residence, where they talked to his mother who was upset. She had seen the video online and confirmed the other man was Schurr. She owns a dark Dodge Intrepid, which she said her son was driving the night of the burglary.
According to the affidavit in the church break in, police found the screen of a window that was cut, allowing the burglars to enter into the main congregation area. Once inside they ransacked offices and pried a safe open. They also emptied a water jug filled with loose change. The only other item missing was a fuel card. The damage to the safe was estimated to be $275 and the damage to the screen was $25.
When police interviewed Schurr, he admitted to breaking into the church with Allen in an attempt to obtain money.
