Man charged in string of burglaries waives hearing

February 02, 2005|by DON AINES

CHAMBERSBURG, PA. - A Chambersburg-area man charged with a string of smash-and-grab burglaries in three counties last year waived his preliminary hearing Tuesday in Franklin County Central Court.

Justin A. Boxler, 22, of 198 Black Gap Road, Lot 142, was scheduled for mandatory arraignment in county court on March 16, according to Franklin County Assistant District Attorney T.R. Williams. Boxler is charged with eight counts each of burglary and criminal conspiracy and four counts each of theft and criminal mischief in connection with incidents in Franklin, Adams and Cumberland counties, court records stated.

All the charges against Boxler have been consolidated in Franklin County, Williams said. Police allege Boxler was involved in up to 19 burglaries, as well as breaking into eight soda machines during a period of about four to six weeks last fall, but Williams said he did not know if authorities would arraign him on more cases considering the number of charges he already faces.

"We've got enough on him that he's not going anywhere," Williams said.

Boxler is to be in court today to be sentenced for probation violations on two theft charges from 2003, records state.

A Crime Stoppers tip to Pennsylvania State Police in Franklin County in November led to the arrests of Boxler and Chad Disney, according to police. Disney, 24, of 2972 White Church Road, Chambersburg, is charged with two counts each of burglary, theft and criminal conspiracy and his case is scheduled for the March term of court.

Police allege that the two smashed the glass doors and windows of businesses to gain entry and then steal cash registers, cigarettes and other merchandise.

Surveillance videos at some of the businesses showed two men dressed in dark clothing and hooded sweatshirts committing the burglaries, police said.

The cases for which Boxler waived hearings Tuesday involved two businesses on Walnut Bottom Road outside Shippensburg, Pa., in Cumberland County on the morning of Nov. 5 being investigated by state police in that county and a break-in at a Chinese restaurant on West King Street being investigated by Shippensburg police.

Boxler also is charged with burglaries on Nov. 3 in Franklin County at Fisher's Florist on South Antrim Way in Greencastle, Pa., and at Penn National Golf Club in Quincy Township. State police in Gettysburg, Pa., also charged him with burglaries, including an Oct. 29 convenience store break-in that netted $8,775 in cash and merchandise.

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