Dad, son pose as utility workers to steal from elderly victims, PA officials say

A father will serve prison time for leading a “burglary team” that included his adult son, Pennsylvania officials say.

Steve Nichols and Archie Marino, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, were originally arrested in 2021 in connection to seven burglaries throughout Pennsylvania, according to the attorney general’s office.

Nichols — the 57-year father of Marino — has since pleaded guilty to burglary, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said in a July 16 news release. Nichols was considered the “driving force” in their scheme.

Officials said Nichols and his son posed as utility workers in an elaborate plot to “deceive and distract homeowners.” They targeted victims in their 80s during the burglaries, which the attorney general said happened in Butler, Erie, Indiana, Lackawanna and Westmoreland counties.

“During the heists, one of the men distracted the occupants while the other ransacked the homes, stealing cash, jewelry, coins and other valuables,” Sunday said in the release.

Nichols, according to the attorney general, targeted older victims because he felt “they were more vulnerable to be duped.”

Officials said they arrested Nichols and Marino after an investigation that included accessing bank and phone records, their rental cars and doorbell cameras.

Nichols was ordered to serve 2.5 to 20 years in state prison, Sunday said.

This story was originally published July 17, 2025 at 10:22 AM with the headline "Dad, son pose as utility workers to steal from elderly victims, PA officials say."