Man sentenced for burglary spree in Shickshinny area

WILKES-BARRE — A man accused of stealing items from Northwest Area School District and houses in the Sweet Valley area was sentenced in Luzerne County Court Thursday.

Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr. sentenced Michael Joseph Cope, 54, formerly of Cope Road, Huntington Township, to six months to two years at the county correctional facility on separate counts of theft and one count each of burglary and fleeing or attempting to elude police. Cope pled guilty to the charges July 24.

Pennsylvania State Police at Shickshinny charged Cope with stealing a Scotsman ice machine, four power tools and six push brooms owned by the Northwest School District.

Cope was ordered to pay $3,041 in restitution to the school district.

Cope was further charged with stealing a Bobcat skid loader, a Snap On scissor lift, an engine hoist, two engine motor stands, a tire changing machine and a battery charger from a barn on Grange Road in Huntington Township in November 2023, and a snow thrower from a residence on Search Street, Shickshinny.

Cope was granted 190 days of credit for time served and is scheduled to be paroled Oct. 10 to a ministry in Lebanon County.