State Police at Fern Ridge have proven that some of the crime-solving tactics seen on the TV programs "CSI" and "SVU" are not far-fetched.

The police recovered DNA evidence from a Newport cigarette butt and may have solved a burglary because of it.Charged with the break-in, which occurred in Penn Forest Township, was Joseph Michael Breuer, 22, of Cressona.He allegedly netted items valued at $3,400 during the break-in of the home along Route 534 in Penn Forest, sometime between Nov. 20 and Nov. 30 in 2008.Breuer has a hearing scheduled for Wednesday afternoon before District Judge Edward Lewis of Jim Thorpe. He is currently free on $25,000 unsecured bail.The police officer charged with solving the case is Trooper Phil Barletto, a forensic services trooper.As a result, Breuer was charged with burglary, criminal trespass, theft by unlawful taking or disposition, criminal mischief, and criminal conspiracy to commit burglary.The arresting officer is Trooper Jamison E. Sgarlat of the Fern Ridge Barracks. He says in the affidavit of probable cause that stolen in the burglary were numerous copper water pipes that were cut out and removed throughout the home, along with electrical wiring. Also removed were water faucets and sinks from the kitchen and bathroom areas of the home along with an air conditioner unit from the window.The affiavit says entry to the home was made by kicking in the front door.It reads that Trooper Barletto "recovered two Newport brand cigarette butts from the floor of the second floor bathroom. The recovered cigarette butts were prepared and submitted to the PSP Wyoming Regional lab for DNA analysis."The lab informed the Fern Ridge barracks in April 2010 that a DNA profile was obtained from one of the cigarette butts."The profile was searched against CODIS and resulted in a match to the DNA profile on file for one Joseph Michael Breuer."CODIS is a computer software program that operates local, state, and national databases of DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scene evidence, and missing persons.Breuer was interviewed in June by state police and allegedly admitted that he was involved in the burglary with Ian Thornborrow.Thornborrow, who is currently lodged in Monroe County Prison awaiting trial on unrelated charges, has not yet been formally charged in the Penn Forest case.