A Bethel Park man has been charged with stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of construction tools and equipment from sites throughout the South Hills, Washington County and elsewhere.

Andrew McQuiston

Bethel Park police said they caught Andrew McQuiston, 31, on Friday as he left a townhouse under renovation on Library Road after a neighbor called about someone breaking in.

He was carrying tools stolen from the site, Chief John Mackey said.

A subsequent search of his house on Grandview Drive turned up numerous stolen pieces of equipment in the basement, in other parts of the house and even in the driveway.

Police aren't sure what he planned to do with it all or how Mr. McQuiston gained access to the various sites.

"That's still to be determined," said the chief.

It's also not clear if he worked alone in all the cases, although he was alone when he was arested.

The tools included such heavy-duty equipment as pipe-benders, compressors and propane heaters stolen from sites in Bethel Park, Peters, Hampton and, in one case, from Children's Hospital.

The stolen goods are being held at a storage facility until police can match them up with the owners.

The items recovered so far are worth at least at $200,000, police said.

Mr. McQuiston is free on bond pending a preliminary hearing next week.

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