Sledgehammer

A suspect wielding a sledgehammer faces multiple charges after allegedly attempting to use it to break into one York County card and collectible shop and then finding success with it at another.

Matthew Gavin Okeefe, 24, Dover has been charged in connection with the burglary of Brainwash Cards in the 2300 block of East Market Street in Springettsbury Township and the attempted burglary of the House of Breaks in the 300 block of North Main Street in New Salem Borough on Tuesday, April 14.

According to court documents, a suspect was going to use the sledgehammer to break into the New Salem shop around 2 a.m. Northern York County Regional Police say the suspect, later identified as Okeefe, stopped in mid swing and can be heard on surveillance video “There’s a metal screen,” and then uttered an expletive.

Around 5:30 a.m., Springettsbury Police received a call that the glass in the front door of the Brainwash Cards had been smashed. When police arrived, they discovered a large amount of loose change and several Yu-Gi-Oh cards scattered in a parking space.

Inside the store, police say a display case had been broken into and had cards missing. Two cash registers had also been broken into.

Surveillance footage showed two suspects approaching the front door around 2:30 a.m. with one of them using a sledgehammer to break out the glass. According to police, one suspect, later identified by police as Okeefe, used a blue bin and placed the till from one of the cash registers in and some merchandise from the display case in the checkout area and then breaking into and taking cards from another display case in the store. The two suspects left the store around 2:38 a.m.

An hour later, one of the suspects, later identified as Okeefe, returned to the store and used reusable shopping bags to take more merchandise from the store.

According to police around, merchandise valued at over $18,000 was taken along with between $1,000 to $2,000 in cash.

In both cases, the suspects were in a red Honda Civic.

Photos of the suspects from the surveillance footage were sent out through the Pennsylvania Criminal Intelligence Center. Pennsylvania State Police identified Okeefe as one of the suspects.

Police have not identified the second suspect in the case.

Charges were filed against Okeefe in both cases April 16.

In the Springettsbury case, Okeefe faces felony burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, theft and criminal trespassing, and misdemeanor conspiracy to commit criminal mischief and possession of an instrument of crime.

In the New Salem case, he is charged with felony attempted burglary and misdemeanor possession of an instrument of crime.

As of Tuesday, April 21, Okeefe had not seen a judge regarding the charges in either case.