Police recover stolen items
Local police responded quickly to a burglary in downtown Berkeley Springs and were able to recover property stolen from an apartment last Monday, April 23. A neighbor reported the burglary at 270 North Washington Street around 2:30 p.m., according to police.
Bath Police Chief Craig Pearrell gave a description of the suspect as a young male named Jared, seen wearing a yellow hooded sweatshirt.
Local police were told a young male had just reportedly broken into a rented apartment and had stolen video game equipment and several video games and had fled on foot.
Morgan County Sheriff Vince Shambaugh located a male matching the description at the Trading Post Pawn Shop on Mercer Street. The man identified himself as Jared.
Sheriff Shambaugh placed handcuffs on the man and notified Chief Pearrell.
According to police, Jared stated that he had come to town from Keyser, so he could steal from all the rich kids in Berkeley Springs.
Jared Nathaniel Citarelli, 23, was arrested and charged with the burglary. Citarelli was arraigned in Magistrate Court on Monday and is being held awaiting trial at the Eastern Regional Jail.
Citarelli’s bond was originally set at $5,000 by Magistrate Kermit Ambrose but was revoked after police found out he was wanted in Keyser for parole violations.
Pearrell said all of the stolen property was recovered.
Community program pays off
Pearrell said the quick arrest of the alleged suspect was a direct result of community awareness and crime prevention program called “Safe Berkeley Springs” started last month by his department.
Officer Tim Johnson has been collecting after-hours contact information and distributing police contact and crime prevention information to make business owners aware of how to quickly get in touch with police.
Pearrell said the neighbor who reported the crime contacted the building manager who, because of the program, was able to quickly reach police.
Pearrell said the suspect allegedly tried to fence the stolen items at the Berkeley Springs Trading Post, owned by Tony Lynch, former Bath Police Chief.
