A Schuylkill County man was apprehended Tuesday after nearly 10 years on the run following a suspected burglary at Cressona Mall during a major snowstorm.
Kyle Lombel, 33, of Wayne Township, is facing charges related to a burglary in which he and three co-conspirators allegedly stole more than $24,000 in cash, cigarettes, and lottery tickets from Sam’s Place Lottery & Tobacco inside the mall.
Lombel, according to State Police, was apprehended at a family home in Wayne Township Tuesday. He was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge AJ Serina on felony charges of burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, theft, conspiracy to commit theft, receiving stolen property, conspiracy to receive stolen property. He’s also been charged with a misdemeanor count of criminal mischief.
At his arraignment, Lombel told Serina that he’d only recently returned to Schuylkill County after spending much of the last decade in California. Police told Serina Lombel is wanted on a warrant out of that state and it plans to extradite him in the future.
Lombel told Serina that a California warrant is on an evading arrest charge related to a sentence imposed on him on a possession of drugs charge. It was also learned that Lombel was wanted on warrants out of several District Courts in Schuylkill County.
State Police told Serina that they’re expecting to file additional felony charges against Lombel in the near future.
When Serina asked Lombel Tuesday afternoon what he’d been doing in California, he replied (at least what sounded like) he was “just winging it.” He told the judge that he recently marked 10 years off heroin but had methamphetamine use issues.
Police requested that Lombel’s bail be revoked on Tuesday. Serina told Lombel, “Clearly, you’re a flight risk,” and set bail at $1 million.
Snowstorm Burglary
According to the original charging documents filed by State Police in District Court of then-Judge James Ferrier, the burglary occurred shortly before 2 a.m. on Jan. 23, 2016.
On Jan. 22-23, 2016, according to National Weather Service, the Cressona and Schuylkill Haven area received a crippling 2 feet of snow.
Investigators allege that Lombel and two other men entered the mall through the rear door of a laundromat and cut a 2-by-3-foot hole in a metal gate to access the neighboring tobacco shop.
Once inside, police say the group filled duffel bags with approximately $10,284 in cash, various cartons of cigarettes valued at $6,400, and active lottery tickets worth $7,770. Before fleeing, the suspects allegedly poured bleach throughout the store to destroy evidence and stole the business’s surveillance system.
Investigators linked Lombel to the crime after Pennsylvania Lottery officials reported that one of the stolen winning tickets had been cashed. Police say that on Feb. 2, 2016, Lombel claimed a $1,000 prize at a pharmacy in Philadelphia, using his U.S. passport as identification.
Following this lead, troopers executed a search warrant at Lombel’s residence the next day. Police allege they recovered 163 lottery tickets inside the home, with identification numbers matching those stolen from the Cressona business.
The affidavit identifies the alleged getaway driver as Aloysius Carroll. Carroll told investigators that Lombel contacted him during the snowstorm asking for a ride. Carroll admitted to driving Lombel and two other men—identified in court documents as Justin Green and Shane McNulty—to the mall and waiting near the AutoZone while they went inside.
Carroll told police the men returned about 20 minutes later carrying duffel bags full of items. He alleged that Lombel later paid him with packs of cigarettes and winning lottery tickets for driving the group.
Carroll was sentenced to 3-18 months in prison for his part in the burglary. Green was sentenced to 11 1/2-23 months. And McNulty was found guilty of receiving stolen property and sentenced to 16 days to 1 year in jail.
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