PENNSYLVANIA COMPUTERS STOLEN http://www.goerie.com/article/20130420/NEWS02/304209951/Erie-police-investigate-East-Avenue-store-after-stolen-items-drugs-seized

PUBLISHED: APRIL 20, 2013 12:01 AM EST
UPDATED: APRIL 20, 2013 1:27 AM EST

Erie police investigate East Avenue store after stolen items, drugs seized

BY TIM HAHN, Erie Times-News
tim.hahn@timesnews.com

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Erie police said three laptop computers stolen during a break-in at a state office on Erie's west side on Wednesday morning were quickly sold at a store on the city's east side.

Detectives who went looking for the computers at an East Avenue grocery store on Thursday also seized stolen GPS units and a large quantity of illegal drugs, police charge in the criminal complaint filed against the store's owner.

Karar M. Al Dafaai, 24, who police said is the owner of the Stop 'N Go grocery store at 928 East Ave., is accused of directing a store employee to pay $100 for three Dell laptop computers that were stolen from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue office at 448 W. 11th St. on Wednesday morning.

The computers are worth $3,000, Erie police Detective Sgt. James Stumpo and Detective Michael Suchy wrote in the criminal complaint.

Detectives found the computers at the store. They also found two GPS units that were reported stolen, including one that was taken in the 2800 block of Sigsbee Street in September of 2011; and they seized 906 packages of synthetic marijuana, with a combined street value of between $13,590 and $18,120, that sell for $15 to $20 apiece, according to the criminal complaint and case investigators.

Erie Police Chief Steve Franklin said the discovery of the drugs and of other stolen items at the store has police looking at the "entire investigation" to see if they can expand it.

Al Dafaai was arraigned late Thursday night by Erie 2nd Ward District Judge Paul Urbaniak on charges of receiving stolen property and possession with intent to deliver. Urbaniak set bond at $25,000. The two men charged with stealing the laptops remained in the Erie County Prison on Friday.

Vincent M. Winicki, 21, and Dupree N. Odom, 20, both of Erie, are accused of smashing out a rear window of the Department of Revenue building on Wednesday at about 2 a.m. Police said the computers were taken along with a cell phone, a converter box, a television antenna, a TV remote and some coins.

Police said they connected Winicki and Odom to the burglary through a fingerprint found on the broken window.

Winicki was taken into custody from his residence in the 200 block of West Ninth Street late Wednesday afternoon. Odom was apprehended Wednesday night. Both men were arraigned Thursday morning on burglary, theft, receiving stolen property, criminal mischief and criminal conspiracy charges.

TIM HAHN can be reached at 870-1731 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNhahn.