Mather man charged in string of burglaries and robberies in 2018 and 2019
State police filed charges against a Mather man Wednesday after DNA connected him to robberies and burglaries committed in 2018 and 2019.
Police said there were similarities in many of the cases tied to Dustin Franklin Virgili, 31, of Short Street. These included a description of a male with clothes turned inside out, entire cash registers stolen, and dropped items that eventually connected him to the scene.
In 2018, Virgili allegedly robbed the same store and the same employee twice. Kayla Trump was working at 7-Eleven on East High Street in Franklin Township at about 12:40 a.m. July 6, 2018, when Virgili allegedly demanded money from the cash register. She told police she thought he was joking, and tried to call 911 when he demanded the money again. She shoved him and he allegedly pinned her to the counter and stole the cash from the register. Police found a hooded sweatshirt matching the suspect’s clothing description. Lab results indicated Virgili’s DNA was on the sweatshirt.
About three months later, Trump was working at 7-Eleven again when the door alarm went off at about 1:30 a.m. Oct. 18, 2018. She saw a man with a towel over his face pick up the cash register and charge at her. She used pepper spray on him, and he reportedly dropped the register and towel. He fled with the register and left the towel behind. Lab results indicated Virgili was “a potential contributor” to DNA found on the towel, court documents said.
He was also accused of committing burglaries and a robbery including:
n Virgili allegedly stole a cash register from BFS convenience store on East Roy Furman Highway, Franklin Township, at about 5:30 a.m. April 16, and left a claw hammer behind with his DNA on it.
n He allegedly stole more than $800 in lawn equipment from a shed at 989 Jefferson Road, Morgan Township on June 14, 2019, leaving behind screwdrivers with his DNA on them.
n He allegedly demanded money from an employee at Circle K on West George Street in Carmichaels at about 6:15 a.m. April 14, with a screwdriver in his hand.
n He allegedly broke into BFS on East High Street in Franklin Township and stole nearly $550 in cigarettes.
Virgili is facing three counts of burglary, robbery and simple assault, seven counts of theft and one count of criminal trespass and criminal mischief.
He is currently serving time for burglary, theft and related charges after entering pleas in two cases March 2.