NEW WILMINGTON Officer pleads guilty to burglary

Video cameras taped the thefts.
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- A police officer accused of stealing money from the borough's petty cash box pleaded guilty to one count of felony burglary.
Timothy Chambers, 43, of RD 2, New Wilmington, will be sentenced at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 1 before Lawrence County President Judge Ralph D. Pratt in common pleas court.
Chambers had faced nine counts each of burglary, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property earlier this year.
District Attorney Matthew Mangino said his office agreed to reduce the charge to one count of felony burglary because they believe Chambers will receive the same sentence regardless of the number of charges.
"You can tag as many counts on as you want, but I don't think the judge would sentence him consecutively for each one. He's going to get what he's going to get if it's one count or multiple counts," Mangino said.
Possible sentences: Chambers could be sentenced to anything from probation to nine months in jail.
The district attorney said he will ask the judge to sentence Chambers to time in jail.
As part of the plea agreement, Chambers also will agree to drop any civil lawsuits he has filed against the borough, waive all claims to his job as a police officer and pay back the money he took, he said.
Chambers was arrested by the Pennsylvania State Police after they installed specially disguised surveillance cameras in the borough offices.
Police said Chambers forced open a steel curtain, jumped over a counter and stole from the petty cash drawer, netting about $500, several times from October to November.