Man wanted in theft of Fayette cemetery vases worth $77K nabbed

Using social media and old-fashioned detective work, Westmoreland County sheriff's deputies were able to collar a man wanted for stealing bronze vases worth more than $77,200 from a Fayette County cemetery.

Albert C. Fletcher III, whose last known address was Scottdale, was living under a bridge along Route 119 near Youngwood when deputies located him about 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Sheriff Jon Held said.

“It was very good work by everyone involved,” he said.

Held said a deputy noticed posts on Facebook this week alerting the public to a potential charity gift card scam by Fletcher, who allegedly was selling the cards door-to-door near the Youngwood Commons plaza off Route 119.

“Fletcher was telling potential victims that the money was going to charity. ... They were stolen cards and had no value. I know when he attempted to sell cards to one of the victims, she agreed she would write a check directly to the charity, but he wouldn't agree to that. He wanted the check made out in his name,” Held said.

Held said a person whose mother was a potential victim posted on Facebook Fletcher's identity and a photograph.

“We checked out his name, where he was from, and we were able to find that he was wanted on warrants out of Fayette County for failing to appear at a hearing on all these theft charges filed by state police for stealing 400 bronze vases from Green Ridge Memorial Cemetery in Bullskin Township,” Held said.

In August state police in Uniontown filed multiple charges of theft, institutional vandalism of a cemetery, criminal conspiracy, receiving stolen property and intentional desecration of a public monument in connection with the July 28 theft of the vases, according to court documents.

Troopers got a tip Aug. 1 that Fletcher attempted to sell about 40 bronze vases to Special T Metals in Connellsville but was turned away, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

A bench warrant was issued by Fayette County Common Pleas Court Judge Gerald R. Solomon after Fletcher failed to appear for a Sept. 22 hearing before Connellsville District Judge Ronald Haggerty.

“Once we found out that he was wanted, we went to Youngwood first thing (Thursday) morning and began canvassing, looking for him, going door-to-door and questioning people in the shopping plaza who may have seen him,” Held said.

Deputies received a tip that Fletcher had been living under the bridge on Route 119, he said.

“We went there and didn't locate him but discovered numerous gift cards that weren't any good scattered around there. So we knew we had the right place,” Held said.

Fletcher arrived a short time later and was placed under arrest, he said.

“He surrendered without incident. We took him to state police in Uniontown, where he was processed and questioned for the gift cards,” Held said.

No charges have been filed in connection with the gift cards, but the investigation is continuing, according to troopers.

Online court records show Fletcher has a criminal record for numerous thefts in Westmoreland County dating to 2003 and in Fayette County dating to 2011.

Fletcher was arraigned before Haggerty on the cemetery theft charges and ordered held in the county jail in Uniontown after failing to post $75,000 bond.

Paul Peirce is a staff writer for the Tribune-Review. He can be reached at 724-850-2860 or ppeirce@tribweb.com