Dean Krelko

A Lyndora man was sentenced to county jail Wednesday after admitting to breaking into his neighbor's apartment in February.

Dean R. Krelko, 56, was sentenced to 9 to 23½ months in Butler County Prison by Judge William Shaffer. That will be followed by 12 months of county probation. He was also ordered to complete the jail's drug and alcohol program, and pay $1,148 restitution and court costs.

Krelko pleaded guilty June 4 to felony trespass and misdemeanor theft.

The charges stem from a burglary investigation by the Butler Township police, after a pair of televisions, a mini fridge and a printer were reported stolen from an apartment in the 600 block of Hansen Avenue on Feb. 12.

A witness reported to the victim seeing a man taking property from the apartment, investigators said. The witness only knew the man as “Dean,” but also knew he lived in an apartment there. “Dean” claimed to be the maintenance man and told the witness that he was treating the victim's apartment for bed bugs, police said.

Police said tool marks from a pry tool or screwdriver were found around the apartment door and door knob mounting, and weather stripping had been tampered with.

After speaking with the landlord, police identified Krelko as a possible suspect, and executed a search warrant at his apartment. Police said that when they knocked on Krelko's door and got no answer, they forced their way in. They found him lying on a bed. They also found the suspected stolen mini fridge and printer, as well as a screwdriver.

Police seized the stolen items and returned them to the victim's apartment.