Three charged in Scranton burglary
Jun. 27—Scranton police arrested three city residents Sunday following a break in at an auto parts business, city police said.
Jesus Molina Ortiz, 32, 1610 Townhouse Boulevard; Isaac Lozada, 20, 1501 N. Lincoln Ave.; and Wanda Rosario Rodriguez, 38, 1610 Townhouse Blvd., each face burglary and related counts.
Patrolman Timothy Merkel responded to Morgan Highway Auto Parts & Recycling, 400 Morgan Highway, shortly before 3 p.m. to investigate a report of two men stealing aluminum wheels.
When he arrived, he saw two men inside the property carrying things. After unlocking the gate using a nearby key, the officer started to run towards them.
The suspected burglars — later identified as Molina Ortiz and Lozada — ran towards Pike Street.
Acting Sgt. Robert Stelmak and his K9 partner Attyro arrived and helped track the two across Pike Street toward a steep embankment that led down to the McDade Expressway.
Patrolman William O'Brien, who was off duty at the time, saw two men who matched the description of the burglary suspects get into a silver vehicle on the highway heading into the city.
After it turned off the expressway, Patrolman Michael Morrison pulled the vehicle over in a parking lot at West Market Street and Brick Avenue.
Merkel identified the two men in the car as the burglars. While gathering his information, Molina Ortiz told Patrolman Michael Castanzo he did it.
The aluminum wheels remained missing, police said.
The two men are jailed at the Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $5,000 bail. Rosario Rodriguez, who police said drove the vehicle the burglars were in, was released on $5,000 unsecured bail.
Preliminary hearings are scheduled July 8.
Contact the writer: jkohut@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9100, x5187; @jkohutTT on Twitter.
