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VIDEO: Police detail 'Vandal Bandits' bust
They broke windows, drew profane pictures on the walls, painted the lenses of security cameras and urinated on floors — then made off with as much as $10,000 in cash, plus computers and electronics, police say.
They even stole $7,000 from a safe inside the Laserdome near Mount Joy — $2,000 of which had been raised for a breast cancer foundation, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Chad Roberts said.
"To me, these individuals are heartless," Roberts said at a news conference Thursday afternoon. "Why would you go steal from such a good cause like that?
"They actually enjoyed doing this. They got a thrill out of it. We got the last laugh in the end," he said. "The only thing is there are still businesses that are damaged, and people don't feel safe in their own businesses. And that's an awful thing."
Police said the two primary burglars are Alexander J. Mayer, 20, and David Michael Wood, 22, both of Knollwood Drive, Akron. They said a third man, Thomas Edward Malin, 23, of Springville Road, Ephrata, took part in one of the break-ins.
Authorities said they could not provide a total estimate of damage and items stolen because they are still investigating more instances of burglary.
The two-month spree came to a halt a week ago, when Ephrata police Officer Doug Heilman spotted a broken glass door at Weaver Masonry, 824 E. Main St., Ephrata. After checking around, he heard the sound of glass breaking, according to the criminal complaint filed against Mayer and Wood.
Police ran the plates on a vehicle parked nearby and found it was registered to Mayer, who was considered a suspect in several burglaries in northeastern Lancaster County. Police found Mayer and Wood and arrested them. Both men admitted burglarizing numerous businesses, according to the complaint.
Asked how many, Roberts said: "I don't want to say how many, but it was a ton of burglaries."
Police said the two burglarized the following firms, as well as several others:
• Ephrata: Groff Tractor & Equipment Inc., Stauffer Diesel Inc., Bradco Supply, Superior Trusses, Kurtz Excavating and Weaver Precast Inc.
• East and West Cocalico townships: E&F Trucking Inc., Cocalico Biologicals, Earth, Turf & Wood, Lezzer Lumber, Auto Diagnostics and Keystone Nitewear.
• New Holland: Kauffman Kitchens, Ridge Craft, Pequea Machine Inc., Lanco Sheds and SMS Builders.
• Other northern townships: Brecknock Builders, Sensenig & Weaver Well Drilling, Martin Excavating, The Bed and Furniture Warehouse, Stoltzfus Inc., Frey Mechanical and the Laserdome.
Mayer and Wood are suspected of as many as 35 burglaries but have been charged in only two so far, according to records on file at District Judge Rodney H. Hartman's office. They were arraigned Friday and committed to Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $250,000 bail for Mayer and $500,000 for Wood.
Malin is suspected and charged with being involved in one of the crimes. He was arrested and arraigned before Hartman on Tuesday, then released on $50,000 bail.
In many of the break-ins, Mayer and Wood allegedly spraypainted the walls.
"Basically they were painting a lot of what I would say is nonsense," said Detective Kerry Sweigart of the East Cocalico Township Police Department. "It was writing on the wall which made no sense to us. Basically it indicated that they were there.
"It was almost like a calling card identifying themselves as the burglars," Sweigart said.
E-mail: tmurse@lnpnews.com
