2 Men Accused Of Breaking Into Westmoreland County Home And Stealing 2 Dogs
LEECHBURG, Pa. (KDKA) -- Two men are facing charges in connection to a home break-in and the theft of two dogs.
The suspects in this case allegedly broke into a house in Leechburg and took the two animals inside. Police say they committed a felony, but one of the individuals said that he was trying to help some dogs that were in trouble.
"I just tried to do something as a good person," Mike Keim said.
Police say the 39-year-old Keim and 55-year-old Kevin Trefelner broke into the home on Evergreen Road and stole two dogs.
"This house is condemned," Keim said. "There's no heat on in there, and we heard a dog in there."
The structure is condemned, and Keim said he and Trefelner were on a rescue mission.
"It was wrong to do it the way we did it," Keim said. "But these dogs could have died, they could have been in there freezing."
KDKA-TV was unable to confirm, but Keim also claims the home's interior was filled with filth.
"I thought we were doing a good thing. We were talking to police, cooperating in any way that we could, and now I'm facing felony charges," Keim said. "Next day the police came and told us the owner wants the dogs back. We gave her back."
In an interesting twist, Keim is now in possession of one of the dogs he is charged with stealing because the owner, who is not named in court records, showed up with the animal not long after the incident.
"She ended up giving it to us because she couldn't take care of it," Keim said.
Both men are awaiting their preliminary hearings. The whereabouts of the other dog that allegedly was inside are unknown.
