Social Media Credited in Capture of Local Criminal
A security camera view clearly show the suspect after he broke into the East Franklin Fire Department early Friday morning.
by David Croyle
FaceBook is being credited with the capture of a man who broke into the former Toy’s Golden Dawn building and the East Franklin Fire Department last week.
Pennsylvania State Police were called to the Toy’s Golden Dawn building when security alarm was set off at approximately 3AM on Friday, November 28. However, the burglar left a clear trail, according to East Franklin Fire Department Chief Mark Feeney.
“The footprints in the snow led over around the (East Franklin) fire department. When the State Police got there, they went over to the fire department and they found one of our double sliding windows had been throwed out - someone threw a cement block through the double sliding window. Then they called me to come and open up to see if the person was still in there because there were multiple footprints around the building and the window smashed, but the glass was still jagged.
“We left them in, but we found nobody. Then we looked over the security cameras and found this one male individual, got his picture, the picture of his car, and went from there with it.”
Feeney decided to post the security photos on his FaceBook page at 6AM - approximately three hours after the crime was committed - to see if anyone knew the individual or the car. The response over the next six hours was overwhelming.
“It spread like wildfire. It was shared 110 times. Within two hours, we had people calling us and telling us who this person was, where he lived. Very shortly after that, people started spotting the car back on the road again. Eventually they made a traffic stop on him in West Kittanning Borough.”
The suspect was apprehended around Noon on Friday, November 28. As of early this morning, the State Police had not released the identity of the suspect.
“Of people that seen it on Facebook, a total of four people that seen the vehicle moving and called. We had six other people that called and identified him or the car. So there was a dozen responses within the six hours before he was taken into custody.”
Feeney said that when the suspect was apprehended, he also confessed to other burglaries in the area.
“If it wasn’t for the social media, it wouldn’t have got anywhere. The response was outstanding!” Feeney said.
Local News | dcroyle December 1, 2014
By jorn jensen, December 1, 2014 @ 9:35 AM
Are reporters permitted to correct grammar within quotes?
By blutoblutarsky, December 3, 2014 @ 9:46 AM
It wouldn’t be a true “quote” if they correct someone’s exact words.
By jorn jensen, December 4, 2014 @ 10:10 PM
Well, Bluto, you took the hook. If you read between the lines on my comment, you’ll understand that it is a comment on education quality in this area and does not really comment on the newspaper or the reporters. David Croyle and Jonathan Weaver do an excellent job reporting, and I’ll guess that they ‘caught’ my comment.
By blutoblutarsky, December 5, 2014 @ 8:13 AM
You asked a question and I provided an honest answer without sarcasm.
I’m actually disappointed with your second comment where you revealed that you were making light of how Mr. Feeney spoke when quoted. It seems like every time you comment here you reveal your complete lack of integrity.