Borough Blue

Items stolen from vehicle, locker in Wyomissing

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:53:00 +0000

The owner of a vehicle that had been parked in the 1100 block of Berkshire Boulevard in Wyomissing called borough police about 11:18 April 10 after discovering someone had broken into the car.

That afternoon, at 1:45 p.m., a woman called police to report that the night before, someone stole her iPhone 4S from her unlocked locker at a business in the same block.

Two arrested after late-night fight at restaurant

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 12:31:00 +0000

A fight broke out about 2:24 a.m. April 7 at a restaurant in the 400 block of Penn Avenue in West Reading. Wyomissing police arrived at the hubbub to assist officers from the borough. West Reading police arrested two people for the disturbance: a 23-year-old Reading woman and a 22-year-old Reading man. Police charged them with disorderly conduct, obstruction of justice and public drunkenness. The two suspects were jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail each.

Driver arrested for lying to police

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 21:46:00 +0000

West Reading police stopped a vehicle about 9:18 p.m. April 7 for a traffic violation at the traffic circle at Reading and Tulpehocken avenues in the borough. The driver gave police a fake identification, but the officers weren't fooled. They arrested him.

Argument between mother, son brings police response

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:19:00 +0000

A Wyomissing woman called police about 3:34 a.m. April 10 after an argument with her 20-year-old son in their home in the 1600 block of Reading Boulevard. The dispute ended when the son swiped a bottle of liquor and ran away. He returned to the home as police were checking the area.

The resolution, as described by Wyomissing police:

Officers spoke with the male and he decided it was in his best interest to brush his teeth, put in his retainer and go to bed and start a new day when he gets up for college in the morning. Resolved.

College students' apartment broken into during break

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:11:00 +0000

Two roommates returned to their apartment about 11:08 p.m. April 8 in the 700 block of Christopher Drive in Wyomissing. The roommates, college students who were among four who live in the apartment, discovered several items were missing from the apartment. They had been gone during a school break. Wyomissing police are investigating but did not indicate when the burglary occurred.

Drunken-driving suspect waives preliminary hearing

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:01:00 +0000

A 31-year-old Reading-area man faces a possible trial on drunken-driving charges after he waived his hearing in district court April 5 before District Judge Timothy Dougherty.

West Reading police spotted the suspect driving carelessly and breaking several traffic laws about 1:57 a.m. Feb. 19 in the 500 block of Penn Avenue in the borough. Officers suspected he was drunk and also found a warrant for his arrest from Montgomery County.

The suspect was charged Feb. 27 and released March 21 pending his next court appearance. Charges of speeding, drunken driving and careless driving were all waived for court. A formal arraignment is scheduled later this month.

Man arrested on suspicion of drunken driving in Wyomissing

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 13:11:00 +0000

Who ever said "With the lights out, it's less dangerous?" Oh, right. Kurt Cobain. Turns out he was wrong, at least when it comes to driving at night.

Wyomissing police stopped a man for driving without headlights about 2:16 a.m. March 31 in the 900 block of Penn Avenue. The officers found one likely reason for his driving in the dark: He was drunk. Police arrested him and took him to the DUI processing center, and expect to file charges.

Police find wanted man after he steals from store in Berkshire Mall

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 16:11:00 +0000

Store security stopped a man about 2:38 p.m. March 30 for stealing $145.97 worth of merchandise from a store in the Berkshire Mall, in the 1600 block of State Hill Road in Wyomissing. When borough police arrived, they found he had marijuana and Xanax on him. He also had a scofflaw warrant.

He was arrested on the warrant and police plan to file charges for the shoplifting and drug possession.

Copper stolen from Wyomissing home

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 16:06:00 +0000

A woman heard strange noises between 8 and 9 p.m. March 27 outside her home in the 600 block of Lake Avenue in Wyomissing. She thought nothing of it until her husband came home later that evening and mentioned that the home's copper downspouts were missing from the back of the garage. The next day, she called borough police.

Vehicles broken into, vandalized in West Reading

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:32:00 +0000

A man went to his truck in the morning of March 31, only to find someone smashed the rear wing window while it was parked in the 200 block of Sycamore Road in West Reading. It was the first of three such incidents that borough police received that day.

Another man called police about 4:53 p.m. March 31 after discovering someone had broken into his vehicle while it was parked in the 500 block of Franklin Street. Police did not indicate what, if anything, was stolen.

Less than an hour later, police received a call about a license plate that had been stolen from a vehicle between March 29 and 31, while it was parked in the 600 block of Reading Avenue.

Two men charged with breaking into vehicle in Wyomissing

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:10:00 +0000

Security guards spotted two men breaking into a vehicle about 3:05 p.m. March 28 that was parked in a lot at the VF Outlet complex, in the 800 block of Hill Road in Wyomissing. The thieves ran away but borough police caught them after a quick chase.

The suspects, a 51-year-old and a 19-year-old, both from Reading, were each charged with conspiracy to steal from a motor vehicle, conspiracy to damage property, conspiracy to receive stolen property and conspiracy to commit theft. They were jailed in lieu of $10,000 each.

High-speed driver suspected of also driving high in Wyomissing

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:30:00 +0000

A Wyomissing police officer stopped a vehicle about 12:38 p.m. March 25 that had been going 89 mph on the Warren Street Bypass, where the speed limit is 55 mph. The driver appeared to be drunk, so the officer gave him a sobriety test. During the stop police also found some marijuana and a pipe in the vehicle. The driver was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center for a blood test. Police expect to file charges against the driver.

Suspect jailed over fake oxycodone prescription

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:31:00 +0000

A man tried to fill a prescription for oxycodone-30 on March 20 at a store in Wyomissing. The pharmacist called police about 6:17 p.m. to report the prescription was a fake. Officers went to the store, in the 1100 block of Berkshire Boulevard, but the suspect, who had returned, left just before they arrived. Police found him in a nearby parking lot and arrested him.

The suspect, a 19-year-old Levittown, Pa., man, was charged with forgery and attempted theft by deception. He was jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Police charge West Reading resident in car vandalism

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:11:00 +0000

A 42-year-old West Reading man faces charges stemming from a Feb. 28 incident in which, police said, he damaged his neighbor's vehicle in the 700 block of Reading Avenue. Based on the charges filed, this was more than an accidental clipping of a side-view mirror or tapping the bumper while parallel parking. Police did not specify what damage was done, but the suspect was charged March 26 with stalking, harassment and criminal mischief. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April.

Man pees on ATM, gets cited by West Reading police officer

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:06:00 +0000

A West Reading police officer spotted a man about 2:12 a.m. March 18, urinating on the side of an ATM in the 500 block of Penn Avenue. The officer stopped the man and cited him for disorderly conduct. It's not known if the suspect had an account at the bank to which the ATM belonged.

Man cited for disorderly conduct after making threats in West Reading

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:19:00 +0000

A man was in the emergency room at Reading Hospital about 8:20 p.m. March 19 in West Reading when he threatened a nurse on duty. The nurse called police. The man gave police a fake name, but they learned his identity anyway.

Officers cited him for disorderly conduct and took him from the hospital.

Lost woman leads police to party with drugs, underage drinkers in Wyomissing

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 17:27:00 +0000

A woman made too much racket trying to get back to the room where the party was while in a hotel about 12:35 a.m. March 18 in the 400 block of Park Road North. Police officers arrived and found the party with little difficulty – partly with the help of a strong smell of marijuana in a hallway. They found three large bags of pot in the room, a small plastic bag of cocaine, several prescription pills and drinkers who were not yet 21.

Thief of the week: March 19-23

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 22:14:00 +0000

One would think that if you're going to steal clothes, the one label you would not swipe is one licensed by a sport whose participants think boxing isn't violent enough. Hopefully the women who won the title of "Thieves of the Week" won't have to face the wrath of any Ultimate Fighters.

THEFT: Swimsuits and "Tapout" T-shirts, the official T-shirt of the Ultimate Fighting Championship
WHEN TAKEN: About 11:30 a.m. March 13
WHERE TAKEN: A store in the Berkshire Mall, in the 1600 block of State Hill Road in Wyomissing
HOW: Grabbing the clothes, worth a total of $870, and taking off.
SUSPECTS: Three women
PUNISHMENT: Nothing, so far. Police have yet to charge the suspects.
POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES: Friends and relatives will quickly tire of receiving "Tapout" T-shirts for birthdays and holidays.

Have a favorite news item from the week? Leave a comment or send an email to boroughblue@boroughblue.com.

Police spot adults giving alcohol to minors in liquor store parking lot

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:07:00 +0000

A Wyomissing police officer saw a man in a car give money to his passenger about 8:45 p.m. March 16 in the parking lot of a liquor store in the 1100 block of Woodland Road in the borough. The second man – who is, presumably, over 21, then bought some alcohol (the police didn't report if it was wine or liquor) and gave it to the driver. The officer confronted the pair, and the passenger admitted he bought the booze for the driver, who was 20 years old. The passenger faces charges of buying and furnishing alcohol to a minor.

The next day, on St. Patrick's Day, an officer spotted a similar situation about 9:27 p.m. in the same parking lot. This time, police saw a person over 21 handing off alcohol from the liquor store to two women in a car, neither of whom was old enough to legally drink. They were cited and their supplier faces charges of providing alcohol to minors.

Thieves take 'Kardashian' jewelry from store in Berkshire Mall in Wyomissing

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:00:00 +0000

That headline is not meant to generate more Google hits; it's what happened.

Two women snuck a bunch of Kardashian-brand jewelry out of a store about 1:26 p.m. March 16 in the Berkshire Mall, in the 1600 block of State Hill Road in Wyomissing. A witness saw them leave in a vehicle and gave the registration information to borough police.

Copper stolen from homes in Wyomissing neighborhood

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:06:00 +0000

A woman called Wyomissing police about 1:30 p.m. March 13 after discovering that someone had taken a 30-inch square copper barbecue lid from her yard in the 1200 block of Garfield Avenue. The lid is worth about $150, she told officers.

The next day, about 12:45 p.m., a resident in the 1500 block of Cleveland Avenue discovered someone had stolen copper downspouts worth several hundred dollars from his garage that faces the alley behind his home.

T-shirts, swimsuits stolen from store in Berkshire Mall

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:02:00 +0000

A manager saw three women steal a bunch of women's swimsuits and "Tapout" T-shirts from the store about 11:30 a.m. March 13 in the Berkshire Mall, in the 1600 block of State Hill Road in Wyomissing. The clothes were worth about $870, the manager told police.

The T-shirts are also sold online as "official lifestyle apparel" of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. On the label's website, the shirts sell for $23.95 each.

Woman tries to steal decoration from fast-food restaurant in Wyomissing

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 20:28:00 +0000

A woman took a tin star from the wall of a fast-food restaurant about 11:27 a.m. March 13 in the 800 block of Hill Avenue in Wyomissing. She tried to leave with the wall decoration, but a manager followed her outside and confronted the thief. The woman returned the tin star, worth about $30, and left. By the time police arrived, she was nowhere to be found.

Traffic stop leads to drug charges for four people in vehicle

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:07:00 +0000

A Wyomissing police officer stopped a vehicle with a broken brake light about 4 p.m. March 11 at Penn and Clayton avenues. When the officer approached the car, the smell of marijuana was apparent. A police dog was brought in to help search the vehicle a search that yielded more marijuana, paraphernalia, scales and open containers of alcohol. The four people in the vehicle now face drug charges.

Thief of the week: March 12-16

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Richter) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Borough Blue readers! As you may have surmised by now, the police reports where I find the great stories to fill this blog often run a few days behind the actual date. For this I apologize. But a consequence is that it may take a few days to track down all the great and wonderful police news sure to spring like mountain dew on this holiday celebrating Irish culture.

Please be patient.

In the meantime, enjoy the latest Thief of the Week. If there's someone you think deserves the dubious honor more, leave a comment.

THEFT: A restful night's sleep
WHEN TAKEN: Between 1:15 and 1:30 a.m. March 6
WHERE TAKEN: 1700 block of Palmer Avenue in Wyomissing
HOW: A man tried to enter back door of a home, then argued, repeatedly, with the resident inside.
SUSPECT: A man in his 20s with a "box-type hairstyle"
PUNISHMENT: Embarrassment at losing an argument to a guy who had just woken up, perhaps.
POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES: One hopes the victim will continue to keep his doors locked, and the would-be burglar will watch where he's going -- and be polite to people if he makes another wrong turn.

Have a favorite news item from the week? Leave a comment or send an email to boroughblue@boroughblue.com.