A mother and son have been charged in connection with a string of thefts in Schuylkill and Carbon counties.

John “Bugsy” Bartenope, 38, and Ruthann Chapman, 66, both of 43 Center St., Lansford, were charged by Nesquehoning police last week for their part in stealing a power washer from Hydra Tech Pumps in the borough.Bartenope faces six charges, including criminal attempt — burglary, conspiracy to receive stolen property, trespassing with intent to break in and theft.He also faces charges of theft from a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property, loitering/prowling at night, criminal trespass and conspiracy to commit theft in connection with a string of vehicle break-ins in Rush Township.Chapman faces three charges, including conspiracy to receive stolen property and theft.According to the affidavit of probable cause, at just before 8 a.m. Feb. 11, officer Richard Neikam was notified by Rush Township police that Bartenope was arrested for breaking into vehicles in Rush Township.Sgt. Duane Fredericks told Neikam that Chapman was also in custody because she was in the vehicle with Bartenope during the break-ins.Bartenope was being uncooperative, while Chapman was cooperating with authorities and told them that her son stole a pressure washer from a business in Nesquehoning and was willing to show police the location.Rush Township police took Chapman, who identified the business as Hydra Tech Pumps along Route 54.Nesquehoning police investigated and found bootprints in the fresh snow leading to the back of the business. Chief Sean Smith found pry marks on the outside of the door, and the same bootprints. Drag marks of an object on small wheels were left in the snow leading away from the building.The manager told Smith that the pressure washer, valued at $200, was missing.Nesquehoning police went to Rush Township police station and spoke with Chapman, who said she knew what Bartenope was going to do and watched him drag the item from the building and place it in their 2004 Jeep.Chapman told police she asked her son what he stole and he said it was a power washer as they began heading toward Hazleton. She also admitted that she was aware of Bartenope’s thefts and was with him in the past when he would break into vehicles and steal items.Chapman told Neikam that after the theft, they went to Hazleton and drove around looking for items to steal. She admitted that she was with him when she broke into vehicles in Rush Township and were caught by police.While Chapman spoke to Neikam, Smith attempted to speak to Bartenope, but he refused to cooperate and requested an attorney.Rush Township police had already impounded Bartenope’s vehicle and officers asked Bartenope if he would consent to a search. He initially said yes, but changed his mind.A search warrant was acquired and the pressure washer, as well as other stolen items were recovered from Bartenope’s Jeep.Chapman and Bartenope were arraigned before District Judge Casimir Kosciolek in Lansford. Bartenope was also arraigned before District Judge Stephen Bayer in Tamaqua for his thefts in Schuylkill County.This isn’t the first time Bartenope has been in trouble with the law.In May 2012, he was sentenced in Carbon County court to state prison for his part in a string of burglaries and thefts in 2011 that also included drugs.He was sentenced to one to two years in a state prison, followed by two years of state probation. The prison term was to run consecutively to a one- to two-year state prison term that Bartenope was currently serving from a Schuylkill County judge.In the Carbon incidents he broke into vehicles and storage facilities in Nesquehoning, Jim Thorpe and Lansford and stole over $36,000 worth of items.Bartenope blamed his crime spree on a heroin addiction.