Aimee AmbroseYork Dispatch
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Security cameras recorded two men burglarizing a Springettsbury Township hair salon in the early morning hours of Feb. 1, 2023.
The video and other evidence led police to a pair of York City brothers and a woman with them, which then revealed evidence linking them a string of other thefts and one of the brothers to a homicide.
In court Tuesday, the other brother, Richard Hartsook Jr., admitted his involvement in the burglary as well as to having stolen Kinsley Construction equipment.
The 37-year-old pleaded guilty to charges across four different cases, including burglary, illegal possession of a firearm, receiving stolen property and possession of a controlled substance, court documents show.
He was then sentenced to 11 to 23 months of confinement and 10 years of probation, according to the court documents.
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Hartsook’s already done the minimum on his jail sentence.
The documents show he received 494 days of credit for time served at York County Prison since February 2023. However, a note on his sentence shows he won’t be released until he’s set up enrollment in a substance abuse program.
His younger brother, David Hartsook, 36, remains jailed in Berks County as he heads toward a potential trial charged with murder in the shooting death of an RV lot security guard. He also still faces charges in York County from the burglary and theft cases.
Rebecca Hartsook, who was David’s wife when he was charged, pleaded guilty in April to her role in warehousing stolen equipment and in a hospital assault case.
The charges in the various cases all stemmed out of that burglary at Martson Hair Co. along Industrial Highway — a business co-owned by Ashley Martson, who also starred on the reality TV show, “90 Day Fiancé.”
Security video shows two men entering Martson Hair Co. in Springettsbury Township
Clips from provided security camera videos show two men enter Martson Hair Co. in the early morning hours of Feb. 1, 2023.
Submitted, York Dispatch
Security cameras showed Richard and David Hartsook entering the business through a rear door and then creeping through the salon. Police said they took two safes, a gun that was in one of the safes, cash, coins, hair styling equipment and up to 100 bottles of hair products.
Investigators showed an estimated loss of $15,000 to $20,000 in charging documents. Martson estimated $42,000 when she spoke to The York Dispatch in 2023.
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Springettsbury Township police said exterior security cameras recorded the brothers’ van behind the salon, and the license plate led police to their home in the 500 block of North West Street in York.
Investigators found the salon products in the home with the Hartsook family, charging documents show.
According to further charging documents, police also found nearly $87,000 worth of missing Kinsley Construction equipment in the home.
Police had taken reports in November 2022 of a theft from a Kinsley site along Haines Road and then that December of a burglary from a tool warehouse along East Market Street.
More than $130,000 worth of equipment belonging to Kinsley, its Hanover Iron Works subsidiary, and several employees was stolen from the warehouse, charging documents show.
After Richard and David were arrested in the salon burglary, Rebecca went to Springettsbury Township police and turned over a gun she alleged David wanted her to get rid of, according to charging documents.
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Police said the gun, a .32 caliber colt, matched to bullets that were fired during the homicide in Berks County.
Pennsylvania State Police investigators believe David Hartsook and another man, not charged in the case, drove his van to an RV lot near New Morgan, apparently to steal catalytic converters, the night of Aug. 5, 2022.
Two security guards patrolling the lot spotted the van and investigated as they called 911.
Police believe David went up to the guards’ vehicle and fired a gun five times.
One of the guards, 37-year-old Troy Rickenbach, was shot and killed. His brother-in-law, Rafael Yambo, was injured.
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David allegedly drove off.
Police had no leads on the shooter until Rebecca turned over the gun.
In addition to the gun matching to the bullets and shell casings from the case, police said a broken van piece found at the scene was a fit to David’s van, according to charging documents.
David is charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, trespassing and gun charges in the Berks County homicide.
His next hearing in that case is set for July 2 while he remains charged in York County from the salon burglary and stolen Kinsley equipment cases, as well as a separate trash bin theft case.
Rebecca Hartsook, for her plea in her cases, was sentenced to time served and probation plus ordered to pay $38,527 in restitution to Kinsley.
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— Reach Aimee Ambrose at aambrose@yorkdispatch.com or on Twitter at @aimee_TYD.
