At least 2 guns stolen in rash of Westmoreland Co. car break-ins

Police say a teenager accused of stealing a pickup truck has admitted to dozens of car break-ins in Scottdale.

More seriously, they say Terry Szwed, 19, sold at least two guns he stole during those break-ins, and now those guns are unaccounted for on the streets.

Neighbors Channel 11 spoke to said they’ve been frustrated with the rash of thefts. One man said his neighbor’s car was hit and there was a trail of change going up the street.

Szwed is accused of stealing a pickup truck from an East Huntingdon Township home, and allegedly told police he broke into as many as 40 to 50 cars in the Scottdale area.

He’s charged with not only stealing the pickup truck, but police say he stole a gun from inside the console and sold it for drugs and cash.

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“And this particular individual is not allowed to have a firearm and he had it concealed on multiple occasions,” said state Trooper Steve Limani.

Troopers out of Uniontown found the truck two days after it was stolen.

While investigators were interviewing Szwed, police say he admitted to breaking into another SUV near Southmoreland High School and stole lottery tickets and a purse with a revolver inside.

"He took the firearms and we don't have those firearms because he sold them for narcotics and, unfortunately, that's something that happens quite frequently," Limani said. "And now we have two uncounted firearms on the streets."

A relative of Szwed’s told Channel 11 the suspect has a drug problem, but didn’t want to comment on the charges any further.

Police are encouraging any potential victims to come forward, if they were targeted.

“A lot of people might not have called police and I think that’s an important caveat to this, so we’re able to get compensation and restitution, and in a couple cases there was a firearm stolen, which is very, very serious,” Limani said.

Szwed is in jail, but police encourage our viewers to lock their doors and take their firearms inside your home every night.

Cox Media Group