Brackney man charged in string of burglaries

A Brackney man faces charges connected to a string of burglaries in the western half of Susquehanna County with incidents occurring up until his arrest last week.

Joshua Capwell, 38, was taken into custody by Pennsylvania State Police, Gibson, on May 3, after he was discovered by homeowners asleep in his vehicle in the driveway of a Jessup Township residence.

According to the affidavit filed in Montrose District Court, Capwell was excessively nervous and was shaking when speaking with the troopers at the scene, but told them he had been tired and pulled into the driveway to sleep.

Police observed a glass pipe with apparent drug residue in the vehicle. Capwell consented to be searched and for police to search the vehicle. A baggie containing suspected methamphetamine was found on Capwell, while the search of the vehicle yielded two glass pipes with suspected drug residue.

Police also discovered a black pistol in a bookbag on the vehicle passenger’s seat. In the engine compartment, a glass jar containing .22 LR ammunition was taped to the engine and a holster – containing a .22 revolver loaded with six rounds – was found hidden in the upper portion of the engine block.

In addition to burglary charges, Capwell faces counts of theft, criminal trespass, receiving stolen property, firearms not to be carried without a license,  drug possession and paraphernalia, possession of an instrument of crime with intent, agricultural trespass and criminal trespass. He waived his May 10 preliminary hearing in Montrose District Court and charges were bound over for trial in the Susquehanna County Court of Common Pleas.

On Feb. 22, Capwell is accused of using a pry bar to break into a garage and residence on State Route 267, Choconut Twp. A neighbor’s surveillance system captured the activity and the homeowner was notified. The neighbor reported that someone was carrying items out of the home and putting them into a silver Cadillac.

Two days later, the person – now identified as Capwell – returned to the neighbor’s home, but fled when the surveillance lights and alarm was sounded.

New York State Police reported that on March 15, Capwell was involved in a crash but fled the scene.

On March 18, a Forest Lake Twp. resident reported that a doorbell camera had captured showed Capwell looking in the windows and “casing” the home. The home was not burglarized but she reported the incident to police after reading about the burglary of the Route 267 residence in the newspaper.

In the footage, Capwell was observed wearing a green fluorescent ski cap with a headlamp and he was carrying a black backpack.

Other burglaries linked to Capwell include the theft of two paintball guns, accessories and carbon dioxide tanks from a Warner Rd., Jessup Twp. home. Ammunition and silverware was also taken from the residence.

A Hamlin Rd., Forest Lake Twp., seasonal residence was also hit with the doorbell surveillance footage showing a white male lurking around the property on April 18. A crossbow and binoculars were stolen in that incident.

A Bolles Rd., Jessup Twp., property owner made contact with Capwell on April 26 as he came upon a gold Honda parked about 50 yards off the roadway on private property. Capwell told the landowner he was trying to get a picture of a hawk.

According to a police affidavit, Capwell was wearing a fluorescent ski cap when he was taken into custody on May 3. Police also confronted him with the surveillance images.

Capwell told police he had been laid off from his job and that he had become desperate which led him to make bad decisions. According to the affidavit, he told troopers that he did not want to go to jail and if he was out, he could provide police with stolen items from a specific location.

Investigators offered to take him to that location but Capwell refused and then asked for an attorney. He spoke with a lawyer who advised him not to offer any more information to police. However, according to the affidavit, as Capwell was being processed he told police he could provide a stolen crossbow if he didn’t go to jail that day.