University Police arrested three men Friday for allegedly burglarizing the Bonnycastle Snack Bar Feb. 16.
Lester Smith and Oscar Parsons of Scottsville, Va., and Gerald Mohler of Palmyra, Va. were charged with breaking and entering and grand larceny, University Police Sgt. Melissa Fielding said.
In the early morning hours of Feb. 16, Smith, Parsons and Mohler entered the snack bar, commonly referred to as "The Castle," through a door and stole approximately $1,600 along with the safe which had contained the money, Fielding said.
Police investigators followed up on the leads and warrants were served for the suspects' arrests on Feb. 20, according to Fielding.
Neither Smith, Parsons nor Mohler are University students.
"They have no affiliation to the University," Fielding said.
Both crimes are classified as felonies. If convicted of grand larceny, the men could be fined up to $2,500 or serve anywhere from one to five years in prison. If found guilty of breaking and entering, the men could be sentenced from 20 years to a lifetime in prison, Fielding said.
All three men have been released on bond, Fielding said, and are scheduled to appear in the Albemarle District Court April 1.
Fielding said she is not aware of an incident like this happening before at the Castle.
At least one student expressed concern following the alleged burglary.
"That's really scary -- it's kind of surprising," first-year Architecture student and Bonnycastle resident Jenny Ballou said. "I never really thought that something like that could happen. I've always felt safe there"
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