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

DATE: SATURDAY, July 29, 1995                   TAG: 9507310054
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DIANE STRUZZI
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

TEEN FACES THE MUSIC IN THEFTS

Roanoke County investigators say they have cracked four larcenies in which musical instruments, electronic equipment and stereos were taken over the past year.

Three of the break-ins occurred at Roanoke County public schools, and one occurred at Leed's Music Center on Brambleton Avenue Southwest.

After three months without a new lead, investigators had almost given up on finding a suspect. But Thursday, uniform officer Michael Dull culled information from several sources that led him to a 17-year-old boy in Southwest Roanoke County.

The teen-ager showed investigators where he stashed the stolen merchandise. Inside crawl spaces and cubbyholes at his parents' home, police found musical instruments and other equipment valued at more than $10,000.

The teen-ager is expected to be petitioned to Roanoke County Juvenile Court on charges of burglary and grand larceny, Detective Paul C. Nielsen said.

The first burglary occurred at Leed's Music Center in October 1994. Cave Spring Junior High School was burglarized in November 1994. Hidden Valley Junior High School was broken into the next month. Most recently, Cave Spring Elementary was burglarized this past March.

Each break-in occurred between 1 and 3 a.m. The burglar entered with pry tools or by breaking a window.

Nielsen said it is likely police will recover all of the stolen equipment since the teen-ager did not sell or give away any of it. Police said the motive for the burglaries was unclear.

by CNB