Pennsylvania Cop in Court on Staged Cycle Theft

A Pittsburgh-area police officer has pleaded not guilty to a federal mail fraud indictment charging him with staging a motorcycle theft so he could collect nearly $15,000 worth of insurance.

Federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh say suspended Kennedy Township Officer Frank Caliguiri Jr. filed the bogus theft claim in 2009, but had really taken the motorcycle to West Virginia where he sold it for a lesser amount. He was indicted last week on one count of mail fraud for receiving the $14,925 insurance check from Geico on Aug. 26, 2009.

Caliguiri pleaded not guilty at his arraignment before a federal judge in Pittsburgh on Monday and didn’t comment after the hearing.

Township manager Jerry Orsini says officials voted to suspend Caliguiri without pay until the case is resolved. That took effect Monday.