Pair accused of filching fillings from dental labs

[February 04, 2010]  ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Authorities are seeking the whole tooth and nothing but the tooth from a pair of suspected burglars in Orange County.

Anaheim police Sgt. Rick Martinez said 38-year-old Matthew Marchman and 29-year-old Shawna Lerer were arrested Sunday on suspicion of stealing precious metals used to fill cavities from dental labs. Martinez said 18 dental labs throughout the county have been burglarized since November.

Martinez said vehicles were stolen and destroyed in two of the burglaries.

Officers say they saw Lerer sitting in a car outside one lab Sunday morning and saw Marchman, who was on foot, discard a crowbar on seeing them.

Martinez said Marchman was arrested and Lerer fled in the car but was quickly caught.

Marchman and Lerer were being held at the Anaheim Detention Facility. Police reached Sunday night did not know if they had hired attorneys.

[Associated Press]

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