Police: Former employee takes guns, cash from Bailey's Garage

Dec. 22—GREGG TOWNSHIP — A South Williamsport woman allegedly drove a former employee of Bailey's Garage in Gregg Township to steal handguns and cash from his former boss, according to state police at Milton.

Jeremy Earl Kaiser, 42, and Erica Lea Blair, 40, of West Southern Avenue, South Williamsport, were both charged with four felonies: one count of burglary, one count of receiving stolen property and two counts of theft by unlawful taking; a misdemeanor count of theft by unlawful taking; and a summary count of disorderly conduct. Kaiser was charged with an additional three felonies: two counts of illegally possessing a firearm and one count of criminal trespass. Blair was charged with an additional misdemeanor count of loitering/prowling at night; and a summary count of trespass by motor vehicle.

The charges were filed by state Trooper Brett Harvey, of the Milton State Police Barracks, in the Mifflinburg office of District Judge Jeffrey Mensch.

Harvey was dispatched to Bailey's Garage, at 16818 Route 15, Gregg Township, at 11:24 a.m. Dec. 14 for a report of theft of firearms and cash. Owner Royce Bailey told police that two handguns were stolen from the upright toolbox drawer on Dec. 13.

Video surveillance showed a white 2015 Toyota RAV-4 entering the property from the north side at 11:21 p.m. and the garage door opened from the outside. A garage door opening remote was stolen from a vehicle earlier in the day, police reported.

The person on the surveillance video allegedly matched the description of Kaiser, a previous employee. Once inside the garage, Kaiser is allegedly observed with a black hoodie with a Honda Warhorse logo walking around a large truck and accessing the vertical toolbox where the guns were stored, police said.

Kaiser then walked away, allegedly holding items close to his body, and went into the office from the back entrance allegedly using a pry tool to open a drawer containing a green bank envelope with $1,100 in cash inside, police said.

Kaiser was allegedly on the scene for approximately four minutes, police said.

A search warrant was obtained for the residence in Lycoming County. Blair and Kaiser were taken into custody, police said.

Kaiser allegedly provided a full confession of Blair driving him to the burglary location to get money. He said she allegedly drove Kaiser to the garage because he was more intoxicated than her, police said.

The search revealed the stolen garage door opener on Blair's makeup vanity desk. Cash was located in Blair's clothing dresser.

Kaiser, on Dec. 14, and Blair, on Dec. 16, were arraigned in front of Mensch. Kaiser was committed as a Union County inmate in lieu of $100,000 cash bail while Blair posted $10,000 cash bail on Monday through professional bondsman Thaddeus M. Smith, of Milton.

Both are scheduled for preliminary hearings at 10 a.m. Jan. 2.