Pair plead not guilty to dental burglaries

A Costa Mesa pair accused of stealing precious metals and electronics from Orange County dental offices pleaded not guilty Tuesday.

Matthew Marchman, 38, and Shawna Lerer, 29, are charged with more than 20 felonies, ranging from burglary to arson. Police say the pair went on a crime spree, which started in November and ended early Sunday, when they were arrested in Anaheim.

Police said the pair burglarized at least 18 dentist’s offices, many in Anaheim and at least one in Costa Mesa, where they stole precious metals, like gold used in fillings, and dentistry tools and flat-screen TVs.

The pair stole about 25 ounces of various metals, which sell for about $1,200 an ounce, said Anaheim police Sgt. Rick Martinez.

According to the criminal complaint, the two were also found with the drug Demerol and electronics. Prosecutors claim they also burned a van they had stolen from one dentist’s office.

The two were arrested in an industrial area with two dental offices. Police said Marchman was seen walking with a crowbar before he saw police, and Lerer was waiting in a parked car. Both are due back in court on Jan. 14.

— Joseph Serna