The twins' collaboration continued when they allegedly began breaking into area businesses by cutting rooftop holes to gain entry, police said.

In their moonlighting endeavor they were joined by an unlikely third member of the Goffney clan - their mother - who served as a lookout, according to court testimony.

A preliminary hearing was held yesterday for Keyontyli, 25, after which his case was bound over for trial.

"You ever get so nervous that it feels like someone splashed water on you and you lost your breath? That's how I felt in court," Keyontyli said in a phone interview after the hearing.

Taleon was also scheduled for a hearing yesterday but instead was taken to the Criminal Justice Center on a detainer, police said.

The New Jersey brothers are being investigated by a Rooftop Burglary Task Force, comprised of 30 law enforcement agencies, for dozens of rooftop burglaries across the tri-state area

Keyontyli, who was accompanied by his female best friend, spoke not a word in court.

Young Moon, owner of Moon's Beauty Shop, at 9th Street and Washington Avenue, and Amy Kim, owner of the adjoining Wings and More store, testified to finding their businesses ransacked and holes in their roofs when they opened their doors Feb. 19.

An assistant manager of the Rite Aid, at Front Street and Snyder Avenue, testified that he found that business in a similar state of disrepair the day before.

Kim said it cost $715 to have her roof fixed. Moon said he has yet to fix his roof. A contractor estimated it would cost $5,000, he said.

New Jersey Detective Edward Kunkel, a task force investigator, said police were conducting surveillance on Taleon on Feb. 19 when he parked his car in a garage on Juniper Street near Wharton about 2:30 a.m. He then got into a car driven by Keyontyli, who was being followed by someone in a white Toyota Sequoia, he said.

Taleon broke into the businesses while Keyontyli and the other driver waited in their cars, Kunkle said.

The driver of the Sequoia had already left the scene when police moved in and arrested Keyontyli. Taleon managed to escape - briefly.

Detective Mark McCullion, of the city's Major Crimes Division, said Taleon was nabbed at the Juniper Street parking garage about 11 a.m. when he went to get his car.

According to a transcript of a police interview with Keyontyli after his arrest, read in court yesterday by McCullion, the twins' mother, Towana Goffney, 44, was the driver of the Sequoia.

Keyontyli told police he and his mother served as lookouts for his brother, who he said was the "mastermind" of the operation.

"Was your mom aware of what he was doing?" Kunkel said, as he read from the interview transcript.

"Yes, but we just watched," he said, quoting Keyontyli's response.

Questions arose in the transcript about whether Taleon had been tipped off to the investigation by a police source but police declined to comment on the matter after the hearing.

Both twins face charges of burglary, conspiracy, criminal trespass and related offenses. Towana Goffney is under investigation, but has yet to be charged with a crime, police said. Taleon is jailed without bail. Keyontyli said he posted 10 percent of more than $200,000 bail for his freedom. *