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Couple Accused of Going on ‘Bonnie and Clyde’-style Burglary Spree

SCRANTON, Pa. — A married couple is locked up in Lackawanna County accused of going on a burglary spree in four counties for roughly a year. The Lackawann...

SCRANTON, Pa. -- A married couple is locked up in Lackawanna County accused of going on a burglary spree in four counties for roughly a year.

The Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office says this is believed to be the largest burglary spree the county has seen.

Francis Smith and his wife Dorri, formerly of Scranton, are locked up on burglary and other charges, accused of going on what authorities call a “Bonnie and Clyde”-style burglary spree.

The Lackawanna County district attorney said between November of 2016 to September of 2017, the Smiths broke into and ransacked 26 homes and one business in Lackawanna, Wyoming, Wayne, and Carbon counties, racking up more than $900,000 in stolen goods.

“They broke through a second-floor window and they started taking rugs and paintings from the house,” said Lee Jaffe.

Jaffe and his wife Suzanne say their home on Elmhurst Boulevard on Scranton's East Mountain was among those hit.

Court papers show they had expensive items taken from their home, including designer purses, shoes, and jewelry. All together, they lost more than $300,000 worth of merchandise.

“They took a painting off a wall and behind the painting was a safe, like an old '40s movie,” said Jaffe. “And they pulled the safe right out of the wall.”

According to court paperwork, Francis Smith sold a lot of the stolen jewelry to a pawn shop that used to be in business on Green Ridge Street in Scranton. When police made contact with the owner in October of last year, they say they recovered shopping bags filled with stolen goods.

Court papers also show that in September of last year, a raid at the couple's former home in Scranton turned up numerous stolen items including Dyson vacuum cleaners.

Charges were filed against Francis Smith in October 2017.

Police issued arrest warrants for both the Smiths after Francis failed to show for court.

They were caught in Florida in May, brought back to Lackawanna County and have been locked up since.

A former neighbor says they're not missed.

“They were awful. They were horrible people. They were rude. They were loud. They were just awful people,” said the neighbor.

The Smiths were arraigned Wednesday morning on burglary and related charges. Because the Smiths are considered to be flight risks, they are both being held without bail.

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