Throop police charge two with burglarizing home in borough
Jul. 31—A tip from a garage owner prompted the investigation that led to the arrest of two people on charges of burglarizing an unoccupied Throop home, borough police said.
Paul Pasco and Savannah Juice, who were initially arrested in Scranton for receiving stolen property involving two vehicles, now face additional charges arising from the underlying break-in, police said.
Pasco, 25, and Juice, 21, were arraigned Friday by Magisterial District Judge Joanne Corbett on burglary, theft by unlawful taking, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and other offenses.
Borough police accused them of taking the two vehicles and other items during a burglary at 807 Murray St. on July 22.
According to a criminal complaint filed by borough Officer Michael Gervasi, Andrew Alia contacted police after Pasco and Juice stopped at the auto shop he operates at 3100 Olyphant Ave. in Scranton early on July 23 with two vehicles, a 2017 Hyundai Tucson and a 1994 Chevrolet Camaro.
Pasco said he got the cars as payment for doing tree work, but Alia told police the vehicles were worth too much for that kind of job and believed they were stolen, the complaint said. Alia later learned the occupant of the property where Pasco supposedly did the work died in 2020.
In the meantime, city police responded to the garage and forbid Pasco and Juice, neither of whom had a valid driver's license, from taking the vehicles, the complaint said.
After making contact with the current owner of the Murray Street property, a Kentucky resident whose late mother previously lived there, police entered the residence and found the entire house appeared to have been rummaged through, Gervasi said in the complaint. Two vehicles were also missing from the garage.
During an interview with police, Pasco, of 39 Olendike St. in the borough, said he learned from a neighbor the house was vacant and told officers other people had broken in prior to him being there, the complaint said. He said he and Juice entered through a broken back door and it was her idea to take the vehicles.
Juice, of 616 Theodore St., Scranton, told police she and Pasco stole the vehicles with intention of keeping or selling them, the complaint said. She said she was only in the house once for 10 to 20 minutes.
Corbett set Pasco and Juice's bail on the latest charges at $30,000 each. Both remain in Lackawanna County Prison while awaiting preliminary hearings next Monday.
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