The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

July 18, 2008

Burglary suspect caught

Man, 29, accused in recent break-ins

By Courtney Anderson

SHARON — A Sharpsville man charged with one Thursday night burglary in Sharon is a suspect in several other recent thefts from homes in the city, police said.

Ljubomir “Lou” Pantelic, 29, of 611 Pierce Ave., was charged with burglary and resisting arrest about 9 p.m. Thursday after he ran from a home in the 300 block of Spruce Avenue and was chased by police, police said.

Police said the homeowner woke up, saw a light on and found Pantelic at the top of his stairs, police said. Pantelic ran out the back door and got on a bicycle, police said.

A Sharon police cruiser in the area and an off-duty policeman who lived in the area chased Pantelic to the 600 block of New Castle Avenue, where he was apprehended, police said.

Pantelic was arraigned and taken to Mercer County Jail on a parole detainer, police said.

Police said someone stole more than half a dozen rings valued at about $2,000 between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday in the 100 block of Cedar Avenue.

These are the latest in a series of burglaries on the south side of town in the past week.

Police said someone stole computers, televisions, wallets, purses, jewelry and other items from five different homes in the 400-700 blocks of Stambaugh, Baldwin, Cedar and Spruce avenues and in every case, the thief entered the home during the night through an unlocked window.

In two of the incidents, the burglar also stole the resident’s car keys and then the car. Both vehicles have been recovered, police said, one in Farrell and one in New Castle.

On Wednesday, Southwest Mercer County Regional police charged Pantelic with two counts of receiving stolen property and fleeing to avoid apprehension after he stole a car from Hermitage, Chief Riley Smoot said. Pantelic was served the warrant for the crimes Friday morning.

Pantelic is also awaiting arraignment at Mercer County Common Pleas Court on charges of reckless endangerment, careless and reckless driving, fleeing and attempting to elude police and multiple stop sign violations after an incident in November in Farrell, Smoot said.

In 2004, Pantelic pleaded guilty to robbery after a purse snatching in Farrell, according to court documents and Herald archives. He was sentenced to two to four years in prison on the charge.

The same year Pantelic pleaded guilty to access device fraud in Sharon and was sentenced to nine to 23 months, according to online court documents.

In 1999 Pantelic pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal trespassing in connection to theft of copper from a business and to three separate burglary charges all filed by Sharon police. He also pleaded guilty in 1998 to a charge of theft in Sharon, court documents said.

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