SAXONBURG — Two Butler County men are headed for trial in connection with a large theft and vandalism spree that spanned two counties.

Austin E. Miller, 19, of Middlesex Township and Eric J. Klein, 20, of Jefferson Township last week waived their preliminary hearings in a list of cases before District Judge Sue Haggerty in Saxonburg.

Miller waived to court charges in 12 cases. Klein waived charges in five cases.

The defendants, however, asked to have preliminary hearings in other cases.

State police said the suspects between February and April teamed up to steal pickup trucks, all-terrain vehicles, car parts, tools, landscaping equipment and other property.

During that same time, police said, the pair damaged a bike trail, a public park and a horse boarding facility.

Troopers arrested the pair following a traffic stop April 9 in Penn Township.

Investigators later turned up more than $250,000 worth of stolen property from Miller’s home, according to court documents, including vehicles, tree-trimming equipment and utility trailers.

Among the seized items was a stolen woodchipper and stump grinder, each valued at $40,000.

Six police departments and Allegheny County detectives have charged one or both of the defendants.

State police last week filed two new cases against Miller, charging him with possessing more than $10,000 in tools and equipment that were reported stolen from a pair of Pennsylvania Turnpike construction sites in March and April.

Miller is charged in Butler County with 77 felonies, including 32 counts of theft, 36 counts of receiving stolen property, six counts of conspiracy, and burglary, trespass and carrying a firearm without a permit.

Klein in Butler County is charged with 74 felonies including 34 counts each of theft and receiving stolen property, six counts of conspiracy, and burglary and trespass.

Haggerty’s office said preliminary hearings for Miller in one case and Klein in three cases are tentatively set for November. Both defendants are free on nonmonetary bail.

Klein’s attorney, Michael Pawk of Butler, has declined to comment on the charges.

Miller’s attorney, Jacob Wyland of McKees Rocks, Allegheny County, did not return a telephone call.