Kiski Township man charged with stealing ATVs, other off-road vehicles from several locations

A Kiski Township man is charged with stealing multiple all-terrain and recreational vehicles and a truck from his former employer.

Dominic Albert Hayward, 24, was arraigned Friday on felony charges including burglary, theft, and receiving stolen property in Kiski Township as well as on Butler, Westmoreland and Armstrong counties and Wellsboro, W.Va.

Misdemeanor charges include unauthorized use of automobiles or other vehicles.

Hayward remains in the Armstrong County Jail after failing to post bond set at $50,000 on Friday.

According to Hayward’s arrest papers, the investigation started with an anonymous tip received on Jan. 1 by a Cranberry Township police officer assigned to the Pennsylvania State Police Western Regional Auto Theft Task Force, based in Harmar.

That investigator, Officer Scott Monroe, found that Hayward and another unnamed suspect were stealing recreation terrain vehicles (RTVs) and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). They also possessed a stolen “side-by-side” utility terrain vehicle (UTV) parked in a garage on Hayward’s property, according to Monroe’s account in Hayward’s arrest papers.

According to police, Hayward was charged last spring by the same theft task force with stealing UTVs from West Central Equipment John Deere dealerships located in Butler and Loyalhanna townships. He was awaiting trial in that case when, police say, he went on a stealing spree.

Police questioned Hayward at his residence Jan. 4.

While at Hayward’s house, investigators say they discovered a 2018 Can Am X3 RC “side-by-side” utility terrain vehicle (UTV) that had its ignition removed. Valued at more than $27,000, it had been reported stolen from PARCS Motorsports in Wellsboro, W.Va. on Nov. 6.

Police obtained images and correspondence from Hayward’s Facebook account on Jan. 4 that contained information and text messages and voice messages that authorities say refer to the Can Am theft.

His arrest papers state that Hayward admitted to possessing the stolen Can Am, but denied stealing it.

Images obtained by police show a truck reported stolen by Strongland Roofing System, located in Kiski Township, with the stolen Can Am on the bed of a 2002 Chevrolet 3500 truck.

Nighttime footage obtained from Strongland from Nov. 6-7 show two people, one that police say matches Hayward’s physical description driving away with the Chevrolet truck on Nov. 7, the day after the Can Am was stolen in West Virginia.

Police say Hayward once worked for Strongland Roofing.

Police also say Hayward later admitted to police that he broke into the Rural King at the Clearview Mall just north of Butler on Jan. 5 — the day after police discovered the stolen Can Am.

According to police, surveillance footage from Jan. 5 provided to police from a business at the Clearview Mall revealed two people wearing face masks believed to be responsible for the attempted burglary. Police were able to identify Hayward’s truck, a black Dodge with an extended cab, in the footage from a license plate check.

Hayward is scheduled for a preliminary hearing before District Justice James Andring in Leechburg on Feb. 24. He did not have an attorney listed in court records.