Michael W. Roman

BUTLER TWP — Easy pickings.

That's how alleged serial break-in suspect Michael W. Roman — accused of dozens of crimes — sized up his targets.

And victims' carelessness or indifference was the secret to his success.

“He told me, 'How could they leave their cars unlocked?'” Butler Township police Detective Max Wittlinger said Friday. “He said, 'How could they leave guns in their cars?”

Wittlinger interviewed Roman at length before he subsequently charged the suspect Thursday with stealing property from vehicles at 40 separate addresses in the township.

That alleged crime spree occurred between Sept. 24 and Dec. 5, 2018.

State police, however, are also expected to charge Roman with committing similar crimes in other townships, including Center and Connoquenessing.

In all, the stolen property was valued at a little more than $5,000. A .380-caliber Glock pistol was among one of the items taken. It was the only gun he took in the township.

“But he's admitted to being in other areas where guns were taken,” Wittlinger said.

This week, police also charged Joshua J. Space, 26, of Butler Township with breaking into two vehicles and stealing two guns in September.

On Wednesday, township police charged Jeffrey B. Taylor, 39, of Butler Township with last fall's vehicle break-in at a home on Marion Drive.

This is an excerpt — pick up Sunday's Butler Eagle or subscribe to butlereagle.com to read more about the men's charges.