Charges bound to court in string of Altoona burglaries
Cooper accused of breaking into Skills machines
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A Bellefonte man is being held in the Blair County Prison on nearly three dozen charges related to a string of burglaries and thefts in March.
Charges against Zachary Corey Cooper, 38, were filed March 24, according to his online docket sheet. He was arraigned Wednesday before Magisterial District Judge Benjamin F. Jones on eight felony charges of criminal mischief, six felony charges each of burglary, criminal trespass, theft and conspiracy - burglary, along with felony charges of receiving stolen property and criminal attempt - theft.
Unable to post $500,000 bail, he was remanded to prison. His preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 6 before Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio.
Cooper was arrested in Marshall, Texas, on April 17 and subsequently extradited to Blair County.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Altoona police were investigating a burglary that led them to a string of other cases with similar patterns.
Shortly before midnight on March 10, a male and female broke into a laundromat at Ivyside Plaza and accessed "Skills" gambling machines, taking about $4,500 and causing about $8,000 worth of damage. Security footage captured the incident and the vehicle used, police reported.
The male was seen breaking into the machines. He was wearing a dark gray Carhartt hooded jacket, a black beanie, dark pants, dark shoes and gloves and a bandana over his mouth, the affidavit of probable cause states.
Another incident occurred March 12 at The Copper Coin, along North Second Street, Altoona. Video surveillance showed what appears to be the same individuals attempting to break in in the early morning hours of March 12, according to the report. The same vehicle also showed up on security footage, police stated. In this case, the duo were unable to break into the Skills machines, but disconnected The Copper Coin's own security cameras and damaged both the front and back doors. Damage was estimated at $20,000 in this case, police reported.
On March 17, again at The Copper Coin, a man entered wearing the same clothing as the other incidents, but with only one glove. He put clothes in a machine and then approached the Skills machines toward the back of the laundromat. He then left for a minute before returning with a tool. He then played the game while looking around for other people before using the tool on both Skills machines. Damage to the machines was estimated at $5,000, while about $315 in cash was taken from the machines. Police noted the same vehicle was seen in surveillance video during this incident.
Logan Township reported a similar incident on March 12, where $1,200 was stolen from Skills machines at a business along the 200 block of Union Avenue. The same white SUV can be seen in the surveillance video and the male's description and clothing matches the other cases, police said.
Also on March 12, Allegheny Township reported a theft from a business on the 2800 block of Route 764. In that case, the theft and damages amounted to about $32,000, police reported.
State police investigated an incident on March 14 that matched the description in the other cases, with a woman involved in this case. The report states the duo tried to pry open the slot machines at Rutter's, 432 Sabbath Rest Road, Altoona, but were stopped by an employee, police reported.
Through the investigation, police identified Cooper as the male in the videos. His last known address was on the 200 block of East Bishop Street, Bellefonte, a residence he shared with Brittany Reese, 35, who owns a white GMC Convoy matching the description of the vehicle seen in the many surveillance videos police viewed.
On March 21, police received search warrants for the cellular data related to the cellphones belonging to Cooper and Reese.
On March 22, police located the GMC Envoy at the Bishop Street address, noting it had been poorly painted over with a dark green/black paint with the white still showing through. The Envoy had the same damage along the side as observed in the surveillance videos, police reported.
On March 22, a search warrant for the vehicle was received and it was towed from Bellefonte to Altoona where, during the search, police turned up three bolt cutters, two pry bars, two tool buckets containing miscellaneous tools and construction supplies, a chainsaw, hammer and clothing, including a dark gray Carhartt hooded jacket, a black jacket, ski mask and beanies. In addition, two firearms were located in the trunk, police said.
A pair of worn down cowboy boots were also located, photographed and swabbed for DNA. Police said it is important to note the black jacket was seen in several of the burglaries and thefts, as was the Carhartt jacket, which was particularly seen in the Ivyside Altoona Laundromat incident on March 10. One of the beanies had a "Wrangler" logo in red on the fold. This can be seen in The Copper Coin incident on March 17, police stated.
On March 22, Altoona police took a report from the Altoona Laundromat that the male seen previously at the business on March 10 was back breaking into the Skills machines again. He fled before police arrived, but video surveillance shows the man entering through the employee entrance wearing dark clothing and a mask. A total of $1,193 was stolen from the machines, with damage estimated at $5,000.
On March 23, the same male walked into a North Second Street business and played a game while breaking the Skills machines open. He took an undetermined amount of cash with damage estimated at $5,000. In this case, police could see his left hand and the tattoo markings. The report states he appeared to be the same man as seen in the prior incidents.
These last two incidents apparently were occurring at the same time police were towing and searching the Envoy.
Reese faces 34 felony counts related to the string of burglaries and theft, according to online court documents. She was charged on April 22 and arraigned May 6. She was released after posting bail. Her preliminary hearing has been continued several times and is now set for July 30 before DeAntonio.