Beavertown man facing burglary charges in Mifflinburg

Justin Strawser, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
·2 min read

Jun. 21—MIFFLINBURG — A Beavertown man convinced his brother to enter his former home in Mifflinburg and take two electric bicycles last week, according to the Mifflinburg Police Department.

Matthew Lee Ackley, 39, of Campground Lane, Beavertown, was charged with two felony counts of burglary and criminal trespass; and four misdemeanors: two counts of theft by unlawful taking and two counts of receiving stolen property. The charges were filed by Mifflinburg Patrolman Matthew Wenrich in the Mifflinburg office of District Judge Jeffrey Mensch.

Wenrich reported he met with two residents on Green Street in Mifflinburg for a report of someone forcing a southside door open while they were not home between 8:30 p.m. June 14 and 12:10 a.m. June 15. The interior trim was broken, debris was on the floor and numerous dents were on the door, police said.

The security cameras were also plugged back in, which allowed Ackley to access the security feed, police said.

The residents said two Schwinn E-bikes and chargers, valued at $1,000 each, were missing, according to court documents. They believed the actor to be Thomas Wright, the brother of Matthew Ackley, who had been at the residence earlier, police said.

Police checked with probation and determined through GPS monitoring that Wright had been in the area of Green Street at approximately 5 p.m. that day, which was 150 yards from the burglarized home, police said.

Thomas Wright contacted Wenrich to speak to him about the investigation since they saw the officer there on the security feed, according to court documents. Wright said he did not want to be involved in what was happening between his brother and the victims, and he asked Ackley to leave immediately after viewing the video, police said.

Wright said he and Ackley arrived in Mifflinburg and parked on Market Street. Ackley allegedly asked Wright to enter the residence and retrieve the bikes as well as plug in the security cameras, police said.

Police reports said the bikes were taken to Ackley's location and placed in the rear of the vehicle he was operating. Wright said he was not aware that Ackley had been evicted from the property per sentencing, police said.

GPS confirmed that Ackley was parked at Bing's Auto in Mifflinburg, according to court documents. Ackley was located in the driver's seat of a gray Suburu Outback with the two bikes, police said.

Wenrich said he reviewed the security footage, which showed Wright exiting the south entry door with both bikes onto Green Street to Market Street. Another camera angle shows Ackley's vehicle parked near the intersection of Market and South Sixth streets, police said.

Wright has not been charged.

Ackley was arraigned on Monday and released on $15,000 bail through professional bondsman Melissa Whistler, of Penns Creek, on Tuesday. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 10:30 a.m. July 2 in front of Mensch.