First of 3 defendants sentenced in Chesco auto thefts

For a trio of Chester County car thieves, the unlocked black Mercedes Benz in Charlestown Township was a trove of unexpected bonuses: its keys, a $3,800 Tiffany diamond ring, a $1,000 Acer laptop and a $600 Louis Vuitton briefcase.

The group typically grabbed vehicles just for joyriding, ditching them in areas ranging from South Philadelphia to Wilmington, according to the prosecutor. But when they found valuables inside, at least one netted extra cash by selling the items on eBay.

In Chester County Court yesterday, Bradlee Aaron Quay, 20, of Phoenixville, pleaded guilty to burglary, theft and criminal conspiracy, and was sentenced to prison for three to eight years, followed by 12 years' probation. Under the terms of his plea agreement, approved by Judge James P. MacElree 2d, Quay must pay $27,642 in restitution.

"He'll be 40 by the time he's out from under the court's supervision," said Assistant District Attorney Julie Marie Potts.

Potts said Quay and two co-defendants - Ryan A. Sligh, 20, and Robert Kyle Smith, 20, both of Phoenixville - committed "crimes of opportunity" involving 21 incidents in the Phoenixville area. Working under cover of darkness, they sought out unlocked vehicles with available keys.

Sligh and Smith are both scheduled for trial this week, according to the court.

Potts credited Pennsylvania state Trooper Brandon S. Corby with coordinating the complex investigation, which spanned more than seven months from February through September 2007 and multiple venues in Schuylkill, East Whiteland and Charlestown Townships.

One Charlestown Township man did not realize he had been victimized until police contacted him while they were canvassing his neighborhood. Once he realized his Garmin navigation unit had been stolen, he checked online auction sites, found a Phoenixville man selling two Garmins on eBay, and requested the last four digits of the serial number, court records said.

When the numbers were a match, he contacted police, who learned that Quay was providing pilfered goods to Christopher Paul Kraft, 21, of Phoenixville. Kraft, in turn, gave the items to his father, Gustau Paul Kraft, 54, of Phoenixville, who sold them on eBay. Both men have been charged with receiving stolen property.

Potts said she hoped the case would motivate people to change their habits.

"Lock your cars and secure your valuables," she said. "Chester County is a relatively safe place, but you're not immune from crime."