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Tyrone pair accused of brewery burglary

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Two Tyrone residents have been arrested and charged with burglarizing a Tyrone brewery, according to court documents.

Salvador Martinez Cortez, 20, and Jessie Marie Novak, 33, were taken into custody Thursday for allegedly stealing money and alcohol from The Brew & Tap House in Tyrone during a break-in Sept. 19.

The brewery reported $3,621 in theft and damages, the police report stated.

According to police, video surveillance footage from the brewery allegedly shows Cortez break into the store from the back door at about 11:02 p.m. Novak is accused of conspiring with Cortez to burglarize the business.

Police said the business' money was kept in "a peculiar location not common for a business," and Cortez is accused of going directly to that area of the store.

Police conducted a trash pull on Cortez's residence on West Cottage Street, Tyrone, and officers allegedly discovered several bottles stolen from the brewery, according to court documents.

According to court documents, Novak was a former employee of the brewery and was fired earlier this year after money allegedly went missing.

Novak is accused of once asking a coworker prior to her fire if she knew "how easy it would be to steal from here," and police said Novak was allegedly observed meeting up with Cortez at his residence after the burglary.

Police accused them of splitting the money stolen from the business.

Cortez faces charges of burglary, criminal trespassing, theft, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief.

Novak was arraigned on counts of criminal conspiracy to burglary, criminal conspiracy to criminal trespassing, theft and receiving stolen property.

Cortez was released from Blair County Prison after posting $25,000 cash bail through a professional bondsman and is to appear before DeAntonio on Oct. 12 for a preliminary hearing.

Novak was released on unsecured bail of $75,000 and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Oct. 12 before Magisterial District Judge Fred B. Miller.

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