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2 men accused of burglarizing city shop, fleeing on bicycles

Two men accused of breaking windows and robbing a Butler business made their getaway on bicycles, according to charging documents.

On Friday, June 23, police charged James Russell, 21, and Nicholas S. Valorie, 30, both of Butler, with felonies burglary and conspiracy and misdemeanors theft and criminal mischief for allegedly removing items from the Cigarette Shoppe on West Jefferson Street.

Surveillance footage showed two men, later identified as Russell and Valorie, approaching the store with backpacks on their chests around 2:30 a.m. Thursday, June 22. The two threw rocks through the window and entered the store, police said.

One man attempted to use a pry bar on the register, while another rooted through a vape display and began to fill his backpack, according to charging documents. The men also took items from other displays behind the counter.

Police said the men then leapt over the counter and exited the store, heading toward Birch Street.

The men were met on the street by two bicycle riders, one on a yellow bike and another on a white bike, surveillance footage showed. The riders handed off the bikes to Russell and Valorie, who then rode off, police said.

Police said they were able to identify Valorie from the video as one of the men involved in the burglary. They went to his home and found a yellow bicycle in the yard, documents showed.

Russell, who was at the residence when police arrived, said he didn’t know who the bike belonged to. He then threw it off the property, police said.

A search warrant was served at Valorie’s residence, and Russell was taken into custody. Police said at the time of his arrest, Russell was wearing clothing items shown in the surveillance footage.

Other clothing items were found in the home during the search, police said, as well as a blue pry bar.

Russell's preliminary hearing before District Judge William Fullerton is scheduled July 3. Valorie’s preliminary hearing had not yet been scheduled as of Friday evening.

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