Peduto gives FBI information about missing items from mayor's office

PITTSBURGH — A day after Pittsburgh’s former police chief was sentenced to prison, Target 11’s Rick Earle has uncovered that the city investigation is growing.

Earle has confirmed that Mayor Bill Peduto has turned over information to the FBI about missing items from the mayor’s office and suspicious damage to a city vehicle.

Channel 11 News was the only camera there when Peduto said he noticed missing items after taking office and notified the FBI.

According to Earle, Peduto said he moved into City Hall last month and found evidence that some items were missing.

“There were items missing. There was one truck that was damaged, and that information has been turned over to the FBI,” Peduto said.

Earle asked Peduto if he thought the vehicle was intentionally damaged, and Peduto said, “I don’t know.”

Peduto wouldn’t go into detail about what was missing, but sources told Earle that one of the items may be an ornate glass vase given to the city by a foreign country, similar to some gifts displayed in a cabinet outside the City Council Chambers.

Peduto wouldn’t identify the make or model of the damaged city vehicle, and he wouldn’t say who drove it.

“I didn’t see the damage, so I couldn’t. The information was turned over to the Feds, so I’m not going to really comment on it. I’ll let them do their investigation on their own,” Peduto said.

The FBI has declined to comment.

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s attorney issued the following statement, "We have no idea what it is that the mayor believes is missing. He did not have the courtesy to call (Luke Ravenstahl) or myself. Beyond that, I question his motives in calling the FBI. We have a very capable police department in the city of Pittsburgh, and an equally capable DA's Office to investigate matters of state interest.”

WPXI