MAN CHARGED IN BURGLARIES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 23, 1993                   TAG: 9303230315
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RON BROWN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
MAN CHARGED IN BURGLARIES
A man accused of masquerading as a prospective home buyer in order to steal property from Southwest Roanoke County homes was arrested Friday in Maryland.
Vincent F. Sottile, 51, was taken into custody on a fugitive-from-justice warrant.
He was arrested after he kept an appointment with a Washington County, Md., Realtor who recognized him from a description given out by police.
"He was using the same ploy he was using in Roanoke County," said Chris Nielsen, a Roanoke County Police detective.
The suspect had asked Realtors to see occupied houses valued at more than $200,000.
Sottile is a suspect in thefts in Roanoke County, Fairfax, Vienna and Hagerstown, Md., Nielsen said.
He is also wanted in Michigan and Ohio, where he is accused of the unauthorized use of a rental car, which had been missing for a year. He was driving a car with Ohio tags when he was taken into custody, Nielsen said.
The Roanoke County thefts took place between Feb. 28 and March 2.
Nielsen said the man entered the homes during open houses put on by real estate agents. He then stole jewelry and other small items.
At least three real estate agents were contacted by the man. Police notified agents to be on the lookout by placing a description of the man on a computer network used by real estate agents.
Police learned of the thefts after a county resident reported items missing from her home shortly after the man had looked at it.
At least three county homes had property taken, Nielsen said.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB