This is Victor Moulier and Mary Malave. They’re pickers.
They’re allegedly breaking into the back kitchen door of a burned historic home in downtown Minersville looking for rusty gold.
They’ll look for anything of value, presumably to resell it for a 100% profit. What you might see as burned merchandise waiting to be appraised for a possible insurance settlement, they see dollar signs.
Each item they pick up has a story of its own and these people, well, they don’t really care about that because none of it’s theirs.
Here’s an account of their recent picking adventure.
Minersville Police Arrest Alleged Thieves Who Stole from Burned DiNicola Mansion
According to information provided to The Canary by Minersville patrolman Jeffrey Bowers, he obtained an arrest warrant for Moulier and Malave Monday after determining they likely stole a haul of items from the historic DiNicola mansion on Sunbury St. The mansion was burned in a fire on February 9.
Bowers writes in his affidavit that neighbors to the DiNicola mansion called police during the overnight hours of Feb. 11, at approximately 1:15 a.m. Those neighbors told police they saw people inside the mansion with flashlights. However, when police arrived, whoever it was was gone.
Neighbors told police they believed it was Moulier and Malave, who live on Westwood St. in Minersville.
The following day, DiNicola mansion owner Teresa DeTurk told police that numerous items were stolen from the damaged building and pointed to a smashed window on the rear door, leading to the kitchen, as the way the thieves likely got inside the home.
The victims of the theft listed a number of items that were missing:
- Kickboxing bags
- Gloves
- Jewelry
- Antique clocks
- Power tools
- Luggage
- Tiffany lamps
There were other items, too. All together, it’s believed the alleged thieves got away with about $6,400 in merchandise from their illicit pick.
Armed with a list of the stolen items, Bowers obtained a search warrant for Moulier and Malave’s Westwood St. residence and found many of the items reported stolen. In custody, Malave informed police where they’d find additional items stolen from the DiNicola mansion.
Further, she also revealed that she and Moulier “employed” the services of her daughters, both children, on their picking adventure.
Moulier and Malave will face burglary and other charges before District Judge David Plachko.
Subscribe to Coal Region Canary
Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!Support Coal Region Canary
Like our reporting and want to support truly local news in Schuylkill County? Your small donations help. For as little as $5, your contribution will allow us to cover more news that directly affects you. Consider donating today by hitting the big yellow button below ...