Oakland dentist chooses not to see burglaries as sign

In a row of red brick houses near the corner of Atwood and Bates streets, you’d hardly notice… In a row of red brick houses near the corner of Atwood and Bates streets, you’d hardly notice the family dentist office tucked away at No. 360.

Especially now that the oversized-tooth sign that hung in front is gone.

The sign – announcing Doctor Bruno A. Sciulli’s business – was stolen twice in the last month, once during the weekend of Aug. 24 and once on Sept. 16. Both incidents happened during the night.

“I’ve never had any problems before,” Sciulli said. “I know I’m living in a college town – that was one of the reasons I just got the sign in June because I had a feeling that this would happen. I can’t complain, though.”

Sciulli has been in business in Oakland for 11 and a half years and has lived in Oakland all his life. He attended Central Catholic High School, Pitt undergrad and Pitt dental school.

The first time the sign – which weighs about a pound – was stolen, it was recovered by the manager and bouncer at Mad Mex, located at 370 Atwood St.

Sciulli said some college students had stolen it and were walking down the street with it when the employees at Mad Mex stopped them. The men did not get the students’ names.

The dentist’s building and yard are set off from the sidewalk by a row of hedges, meaning the thieves would have had to have determinedly trudge through a tight spot and yanked the sign down – especially the second time after Sciulli glued the sign to its hooks.

“They stepped in and they got in, which I don’t like somebody coming into your property,” Sciulli said. “I even had the outside light on, which would have made it real bright, and I thought that would deter people. But I guess they could see what they were doing,” he said chuckling.

Sciulli said he ordered a few new signs, which should be in next week. In June, the installation of the first sign and post cost about $500, but the office was unsure as to how much each subsequent sign will cost.

The dentist plans on taking down the sign each night and putting it back up in the morning. He has no leads as to who stole it or if it was the same party each time. He reported both thefts to the Pitt police.

“I was in college once,” Sciulli said lightheartedly. “They probably wanted to put it in their dorm or apartment. I have no idea what they’d want to do with that.

“I would have people come who were seniors before I got the sign and say to me, ‘I didn’t even know you were here.’ And that was one of the reasons I wanted to have the sign because people aren’t paying attention,” he said.

“This [sign] stood out, but I also knew there would be repercussions for being too noticeable. The cop even said ‘Oh, I know that sign,’ and I said, ‘Well it’s gone now.’

“I’ll have to just take it off every night and put it on when I’m open,” he said. “That’s all I can do.”