Two Men Facing Burglary, Theft Charges

Ferguson Township Police say two men illegally entered at least five apartments and stole liquor over the weekend.

At 12:53 a.m. on Saturday police were dispatched to The Park apartment complex on Blue Course Drive where a female resident said two unknown males had entered her apartment. According to a criminal complaint, the woman said she heard someone outside her apartment, then a male entered her bedroom.

Police said the woman asked who he was and he replied ‘Sorry, wrong apartment,’ before fleeing with another male. The resident said one of the men was dressed in black and the other in dark blue and that one was wearing a hat and glasses.

Two men matching the descriptions ran when they observed police officers, but were apprehended and taken into custody, according to the complaint. The suspects were identified as Yassine Bricha, 20, and Kenneth S. Chan, 20. The female resident reportedly identified Chan as the male who entered her bedroom.

Bricha and Chan are roommates at The Park. Bricha told police that they were bored after they got home from studying and ‘decided to go through the complex and enter vacant apartments for the thrill,’ according to the complaint. 

Bricha allegedly told police that he and Chan entered more than five apartments but he wasn’t sure of exactly how many. He reportedly said that two of the apartment doors were unlocked and that they removed the window screens and opened unlocked windows to enter the others.

Police said Bricha and Chan took at least seven bottles of liquor from the apartments and then took the liquor to another friend who lives in the apartment complex.

Bricha confirmed the female resident’s account and said they entered her apartment through a window, according to the complaint. After fleeing the woman’s residence, they reportedly returned to their own apartment then decided to enter another through a window. After exiting that residence they were first spotted by police.

Both men were charged with felony counts of burglary and criminal trespass, misdemeanor counts of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property, and summary counts of criminal mischief and consumption of alcohol by a minor.

They were arraigned on Saturday morning before District Judge Carmine Prestia. Bail was set at 10 percent of $25,000 and both were taken to the Centre County Correctional Facility. Preliminary hearings are scheduled for Dec. 6.