ZELIENOPLE, Pa. — Zelienople Borough Police made an arrest after some businesses were burglarized and vandalized over the weekend. At least four businesses were hit, including Cranberry Township.
Police said on Friday night at Tony’s Exxon along Route 19, the door had broken glass, the front window was smashed in and the inside was ransacked, all while a worker was there.
“When he came out to see what was going on, he got extremely scared. He saw someone trying to rob the place with a mask on,” said Tony DiLulio, the service adviser at Tony’s Exxon.
Police said Michael Shipley did it and even tried to pry open the cash register with a hatchet. An employee said the damages may cost $5,000 to $10,000.
“Unfortunately, he did all that damage and all we could tell that he took was a couple packs of cigarettes and couple things of chew,” said DiLulio.
Hours later on Saturday morning, police said Shipley then hit these businesses along Main Street throwing a table through the front door of Fisher’s Bar and Grill and spray-painted graffiti on the building and the Sarah II Nails salon next door.
This is how police say they identified Shipley.
“Video played a big role, also license plate readers and traffic cameras in Butler County really helped,” said Chief James Miller, Zelienople Police Department.
Shipley is facing several charges but told police he was being set up and denies the allegations. Meanwhile, the gas station management is frustrated about how this has affected business.
“It’s a small community. Everyone knows each other. Nothing like this has happened before. The biggest problem now until we get the new glass in with everything boarded up. Customers are coming in saying, ‘Are you open? Not open?”
Tony’s Exxon is open. Meanwhile, according to the criminal complaint, police say Shipley also stole items from the Sheetz in Cranberry Township over the weekend.
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