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Updated 4 hours ago
State police on Tuesday charged a Jeannette man with the recent burglary of a Hempfield pawn shop after he overdosed at a bank last weekend and was found with some of the stolen jewelry in his possession.
Kenneth J. Rossi, 54, is charged with burglary, theft, criminal mischief and criminal trespass for allegedly stealing $40,000 worth of jewelry from Jake's Haggle Hut during an overnight burglary Feb. 22. Surveillance video at the Route 30 business showed a man wearing tan work boots, a tossle cap and a black bandana around his face as he smashed the glass front door and broke display cases holding the jewelry.
North Huntingdon police accused Rossi of having a small bag of jewelry containing white price tags when he overdosed shortly before noon Saturday at a PNC Bank on Norwin Avenue in North Huntingdon. Rossi was acquiring a safety deposit box at the bank when he collapsed, police said.
Ambulance personnel revived Rossi and gave police four men's rings and a pawn shop slip found in his possession. The slip indicated he had recently pawned several pieces of jewelry for $402.
The boots Rossi wore into the bank appeared to have glass shards in the tongue, police said. A bandana, gloves and cap that police found along Millersale Road, near the pawn shop, will be analyzed for DNA evidence, police said.
North Huntingdon District Judge Wayne Gongaware on Tuesday arraigned Rossi on burglary charges and set bond at $50,000. Rossi already was in the Westmoreland County Prison on $75,000 bond for charges of receiving stolen property filed Saturday.
A preliminary hearing is set for March 22.
Joe Napsha is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-836-5252 or jnapsha@tribweb.com.
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