NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) - A South Hadley man was sentenced to five to seven years in state prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty to charges related to the theft of more than $100,000 in valuables from two antique businesses in Northampton and Deerfield in 2023. Steven Skea, 65, admitted to two counts of nighttime breaking and entering, two counts of larceny within a building, and unlawful possession of a firearm. The thefts, which targeted The Collector Galleries on Bridge Street in Northampton on August 20, 2023, and Whitney Hill Antiques on Greenfield Road in Deerfield on October 28, 2023, resulted in the loss of high-value items, including jewelry and rare coins. In the Northampton break-in, Skea stole an estimated $100,000 worth of jewelry and valuables, while the Deerfield incident cost the business an estimated $30,000 to $50,000 in similar items. During the investigation, authorities discovered that Skea, who has an extensive criminal history, was in unlawful possession of a semi-automatic pistol. Assistant District Attorneys Webber and Pascucci cited Skea’s criminal past, the significant financial impact on the businesses, and the public safety risk posed by his possession of the illegal firearm as justifications for the five-to-seven-year prison sentence. When police executed a search of Skea’s home, he cooperated, leading officers to stolen items within his home and garage. The recovered valuables included several pieces of jewelry and rare coins taken from both The Collector Galleries and Whitney Hill Antiques, as well as the illegal firearm, which he was not licensed to own. Local News Headlines Springfield teachers and administrators hold forum for ballot question number two Family in Agawam collecting Hurricane Helene donations with help of Sarat Ford South Hadley man sentenced for theft of over $100K from local businesses Brush fire warning continues in Massachusetts WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.