Michael J. Fleming, of Lancaster. (Credit: Hilltown Police)
An alleged accomplice in the burglary of copper at an abandoned Hilltown Township business in December has a preliminary hearing set for Tuesday, charged with four felonies and six misdemeanors in the incident.
Michael J. Fleming, 37, of Lancaster, is charged with felony burglary and criminal trespassing, as well as associated conspiracy charges, and misdemeanor charges of possessing an instrument of crime, conspiracy to possess in an instrument of crime, criminal mischief and conspiracy, criminal attempted theft by unlawful taking, and conspiracy to commit theft, for allegedly breaking into the former Frederick's Flowers at 3523 Bethlehem Pike and stealing copper piping, per charging documents.
Fleming's alleged accomplice, James Angelo Campitelli, 43, of the 50th block of East Main Street, Lansdale, waived all charges against him, including felony burglary, to Bucks County Common Pleas Court last month.
On Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, at 8:51 a.m., police were called to a burglary in progress at 3523 Bethlehem Pike, in which Campitelli allegedly broke into the building. The caller, a property manager for parcel owner St. Luke’s University Health Care Network, reported hammering coming from inside the building, police said.
The property manager arrived at the site that morning and found the lock broken off the door, police said.
As police approached the building, Campitelli walked out from behind it, police said.
A search of Campitelli revealed three screwdrivers, a wrench and a head lamp, per the affidavit. He also had a black plastic sheath from a Milwaukee-brand fixed-blade knife on his left hip area, but no weapon, police said.
Police said a backpack he was carrying contained an orange pill bottle with multiple small yellow pills, one purple tube with an orange-capped needle, a purple tube with suspected marijuana, a small jar with a white residue inside, and multiple electrical items.
A search of the building was done and multiple power tools and pieces of copper wire were found, police said. A red-handled Milwaukee knife was found outside of a garage door of one of the outbuildings on the property, police said.
Police said Campitelli admitted to being in the building, along with Fleming, in order to remove copper wire from conduits, along with other valuable metals, that they planned to sell at scrap yards.
He told police he lost his knife outside one of the buildings while they were searching buildings to determine where the underground electric cables led.
On Jan. 10, Campitelli pleaded guilty to felony retail theft stemming from an August 2024 arrest in Hatfield Township, in which he stole $331 worth of vaping devices, infused candy and a brownie from G Smokes vape shop at 1801 N. Broad St. He received two years' probation as punishment on Jan. 10, per court records.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
