California Army Navy Surplus Store Part Of Nationwide Investigation
CALIFORNIA, Pa. (KDKA) -- The Army Navy surplus store in California, Pa., is part of a nationwide investigation by the NCIS of stolen property taken illegally from a Marine Corps base in North Carolina.
"There's an ongoing investigation of theft of military equipment from Camp Lejeune and other military bases around the country, and as part of that we served a couple of search warrants in Pennsylvania," says Ed Beice, a spokesman for the NCIS.
Beice says investigators found stolen property at two Army Navy stores in Pennsylvania, one in Shippensburg and one here in California.
"Primarily, some camouflage clothing, uniforms, boots, that sort of thing; although, we did find some knives and other associated gear also," Beice says.
Sources say that when NCIS raided the California store Wednesday evening the stolen property was so much, some three quarters of a million dollars' worth, that the one truck they brought could hardly carry it all away.
Washington County District Attorney detectives took part in the investigation and raid and a detailed affidavit names Thomas, Michael, and Cecelia Miske as owners of the property.
"We've spoken to the owners of the store, and I anticipate filing charges here shortly," says Washington County District Attorney Eugene Vittone.
No arrests have been made locally yet, and Mike Miske says when he learned that property was stolen he stopped the purchases.
"Come as a surprise. You know we're looking for good deals online to try to sell resale wholesale. Turns out some of the deals we were making were not legit," Miske says.
Neighboring store owners were not happy.
"It's pretty crazy. I don't know exactly what's going on with it, but if the allegations are true then it's pretty unfortunate that something that terrible is going on just up the road here," says Anthony Calderone of California Cash Fast.
And it's not over yet.
"The investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are expected," adds Beice of NCIS.
RELATED LINKS
Charges Pending After NCIS Raids Washington Co. Army & Navy Surplus Store (11/14/13)
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