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SWOYERSVILLE — A man who burglarized the house of his deceased neighbors told police he had fallen back into his drug addiction and stole jewelry to support his habit.

But Brad Lopuhousky also told police he could not pawn the jewelry because after the burglary in Swoyersville it was confiscated when he was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia following a traffic stop in Wilkes-Barre.

Lopuhousky, 44, was arraigned Tuesday by District Justice David Barilla on charges of burglary, criminal trespass, theft by unlawful taking, criminal mischief and loitering and prowling at night. Lopuhousky was released on $1,000 unsecured bail.

The criminal complaint against Lopuhousky said:

The woman who is the executor of the estate of her deceased parents had been cleaning their house on Hughes Street and setting aside property for the family. When she returned on Nov. 13 she noticed damage to a wall and handrail. Upon further examination, she saw that an air conditioner had been placed upside down in an opening and pieces of it were under the stairway.

The woman began taking inventory of the property and noticed jewelry she had placed in a closet was missing. She contacted police who responded. Police determined entry was made by climbing onto a short roof to where the air conditioner was located.

On Nov. 19 the Swoyersville police officer investigating the case was contacted by the Kingston Police Department, who informed him Wilkes-Barre police seized a large amount of jewelry on Nov. 13 from a vehicle in which Lopuhousky was a passenger.

The woman went to the Wilkes-Barre Police Department and identified approximately 25 pieces of jewelry that belonged to the estate of her deceased parents. She took the jewelry and had it appraised at a local jeweler, who estimated the value at $530.

During an interview on Nov. 24 at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility where Lopuhousky was held he admitted to the investigating officer he burglarized the house.