Stephen Rausch

Nearly a month after being arrested for allegedly trying to clean out a car wash, a Jackson Township man is now accused in two new cases, including going to a barber shop for a cut — of the business' cash.

On Feb. 6, Stephen Rausch was placed in Butler County Prison on a $10,000 bond for allegedly breaking into a car wash, according to charging records.

In less than a month, Rausch finds himself accused in two additional burglary cases after investigations by different police departments. The result of the alleged connections to the crimes has raised his total bond to $30,000, along with a number of felony charges against him.

On Feb. 1, Butler Township police charged Rausch with attempting to break into a money box at Ritenour Car Wash on Evans City Road on Jan. 24. They allege that Rausch failed in his attempt, but ripped the box from the wall and stole it. An arrest warrant accompanied the multiple felony charges police filed against Rausch.

According to charging documents, police began their investigation after receiving a call around 8 a.m. Jan. 24, hours after an early morning incident at Ritenour Car Wash. Police said they found damage to one of the wash bays and that the money machine was missing. Video surveillance footage showed a man, later identified as Rausch, at 6:05 a.m. pull into the bay in a 2011 Toyota Rav4, police said.

According to documents, Rausch allegedly first tried to break the machine apart, using a grinder and a hammer.

“Rausch then is able to remove the money machine from the self-serve bay No. 4, and places it into the vehicle,” documents said.

The report said the car wash owner valued the machine at $5,000, and there was about $100 inside of it. The incident involved about $15,000 worth of damage, according to the owner.

Rausch was jailed for the alleged crime and faces four felony and three misdemeanor charges in the case.

While in Butler County Prison, police filed a second case against him Feb. 10, alleging that he burglarized Morgan's Car Wash on New Castle Road the same night he allegedly stole from the Ritenour Car Wash. His bond went up by another $10,000.

In this second case, police again viewed video footage of the incident, this time showing a woman driving a tan 2005 Mazda MPV into the car wash Jan. 24. “Rausch is viewed exiting the vehicle and breaking into the utility box,” documents said.

For this second case, Rausch has been charged with four misdemeanors, including theft and criminal mischief.

On March 4, Zelienople police filed a third case against Rausch for allegedly breaking into Barber Dan's, a barber shop on South Main Street, Jan. 20. That action resulted in his bond being raised to a total of $30,000.

According to an affidavit, officers spoke with the owner who said the shop had been broken into and about $500 was stolen. Police found footprints, but were unable to make a clear print mold.

According to court documents, Zelienople Chief Jim Miller confirmed in an earlier Butler Eagle report that his department was looking into Rausch's activities for similar offenses.

On Feb. 11, police visited Rausch at the jail. There, Zelienople police said he waived his rights and spoke with them and allegedly confessed to the barbershop burglary.

He allegedly told police that he drove down to Pittsburgh with the stolen money and bought heroin.

For this case, he is charged with a felony burglary and criminal trespass by breaking into a structure. He was also charged with two misdemeanors of receiving stolen property. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing March 9.

But Rausch's collection of burglary cases might not be over.

According to Jackson Township Police Chief Terry Seilhamer, his department is looking into Rausch's possible involvement in recent thefts in Jackson Township.

Seilhamer is waiting on more evidence, and the investigation is expected to be complete before they file any charges.

Before these series of cases, Rausch was already collecting burglary-related charges.

He has 21 felony-burglary convictions over the years, according to court filings. He has served time for a slew of convictions, and according to state parole records, Rausch was released from state incarceration in April 2020. In 2011, he was connected to the theft of several backpack blowers that were stolen from a Cranberry Township business and were valued at $2,000, according to police.