One Year Later: Suspect CAUGHT For Amish Business Crime Spree

This case came on the radar last year in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Over a single week, several Amish businesses – along with non-Amish churches – were burglarized in a series of crimes in this heavily-Amish corner of PA.

Now, police believe they have their culprit. From WFMJ:

MERCER, Pa. – A Mercer man faces nineteen charges, including arson and burglary, after a series of alleged break-ins and thefts at churches and Amish-owned businesses across Mercer County.

State police arrested Harley Richard Redmond, 29, following an investigation that linked him to at least seven incidents, one of which involved a fire at a local church.

According to the criminal complaint filed by the Pennsylvania State Police, the incidents took place between May 16 and May 21, 2024.

Which Amish businesses did Redmond (allegedly) hit? It sounds like at least three:

At the M&M Grocery Store in West Salem Township, an estimated $300 to $400 in cash, a bank bag, and change were reported to be stolen between May 16 and May 17.

The Byler Discount Store in Jackson Township was the target of an attempted burglary on May 17 or 18, which resulted in damage to its front door and a missing doorknob, though no entry was ultimately gained.

…

The Ben Byler Small Engine Repair Shop in Fairview Township reported $300 stolen from its cash register between May 18 and May 20, after entry was made through an unlocked door. The shop owner described a suspicious white male in his 30s, with tattoos and gauged ears, who had arrived in an older, “beat up and rusty” GMC pickup truck.

That fits with the report from last year on these burglaries. At that time, owner Billy Byler of Byler Discount Store said that “Whoever it was ripped off the door handle…But they weren’t able to get inside.”

Additionally, multiple (non-Amish) churches were burglarized, and at least one, Jerusalem Christian Church, was set on fire. By the report it appears that at least four churches were hit during the six-day crime spree.

It sounds like the perpetrator had a thing for targeting religious institutions and people. Perhaps he thought it would be make for a series of easy “wins”. Apparently he thought wrong.

Locating and Arresting the Suspect

Redmond and his girlfriend made an “abrupt departure” for Iowa in May 2024, right around the time when the burglaries stopped happening.

The distinctive, beat-up truck was apparently key to locating him – as was a distinctive cross tattoo on his arm. His girlfriend also played a role:

Redmond’s ex-girlfriend, who had traveled to Iowa with him in May 2024, played a role in the investigation. She confirmed that the truck seen in the Commodore Perry School video was the one they had used and identified Redmond in the footage.

She also revealed that Redmond had a “substantial amount of unexplained cash” in a bank bag just before their abrupt departure for Iowa. She later found and turned over a blue First National Bank bag, consistent with the type used by M&M Grocery, as well as a distinctive small wooden box, which the Clarks Mills Community Church confirmed was the one stolen from their premises.

Redmond faces six counts of felony burglary, felony arson and felony institutional vandalism, along with six further misdemeanor counts of the “theft by unlawful taking” and “criminal mischief” variety.

Redmond wasn’t able to post his $50,000 bail and so is in Mercer County Prison with an August 4 preliminary hearing.

Note: This case should not be confused with another recent crime case in the same area – that of a man who (allegedly) robbed Amish buggies at gunpoint and passed bad checks at Amish businesses, (allegedly) assisted by his wife.

Hopefully potential criminals in this part of Pennsylvania will get the message that getting away with crime against the Amish is not as easy as they might think.

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