MINERSVILLE - Borough police on Sunday arrested Joseph E. Boris Jr., 45, of 311 Arlene St., in connection with a burglary at 317 Pine St. last month.
Minersville police Chief Michael Combs said Monday that Boris was found "passed out in the street, drunk" in the borough on Sunday and officers were able to pick him up and take him into custody.
He was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $50,000 straight cash bail. He was charged with one count of burglary, one count of theft by unlawful taking and one count of criminal trespassing.
According to the affidavit, police saw Boris walking on Carbon Street near Second Street on July 28, carrying a bag over his shoulder.
Earlier that day, a resident told police he saw the same person on North Fourth Street looking into cars.
When police stopped Boris, he said he found the bag in a Dumpster and he then allowed police to look into the bag that had a Pennsylvania identification card for Edward Williams, 317 Pine St., credit cards, several pieces of metal bars and a plastic box containing jewelry.
"We couldn't get a hold of the victim ... so we had to let him (Boris) go," Combs said.
Once police spoke to Williams, they determined that Boris had broken into the home. A warrant was then issued for Boris' arrest.
Boris was also arrested by Cass Township police, in conjunction with Minersville police, in May with criminal trespass, theft, receiving stolen property, possessing instruments of crime and resisting arrest.
Those charges were part of an investigation into several thefts from properties both in Cass Township and Minersville.
"He's made a killing on scrap, $200 a pop," Patrolman Richard Clink said.
Combs said that at that time, Boris got out of jail on bail and then police began receiving reports of car break-ins and other thefts.
Clink said Boris' "criminal history is so bad" that he's looking at serving time in a state prison because of a misdemeanor with his theft charges.
Police are starting the process to revoke his bail from the previous charges.
"We're glad to have Mr. Boris off the street in the borough," Combs said.