LANCASTER, Pa. -On Tuesday, January 12, Lancaster City Police were dispatched to the 400 block of State Street for a reported theft in progress. Officers arriving upon the scene discovered an open door of an unoccupied parked vehicle.
Over the course of the last several months this northwestern section of the city had been targeted by thieves stealing from parked cars.
Because of a recent snowfall officers were able to follow footprints in the snow from the open door of the car. As Officer J.D. Williams and other officers closed in they located a juvenile as he emerged from one of the alleys and took him into custody as a reported runaway.
Following this arrest a comparison of evidence from previous thefts was made by detectives Steve Owens and Will Smith. It was discovered the suspect was also responsible for an attempted theft from vehicle that occurred in December 2015.
Two bikes were also recovered in the area of the arrest indicating a second suspect may have been with the arrested and now charged 14 yr old juvenile.
Charges against the juvenile include two counts of Theft from Motor Vehicle through Lancaster County Juvenile Probation.
Investigators are continuing the investigation and are attempting to identify the other suspect involved in the thefts.
Anyone with information is urged to call Lancaster City Police at (717) 735-3300 or Lancaster City-County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-322-1913. You can also click the Submit a Tip button on our website, www.lancasterpolice.com, or Text a Tip to Crime Stoppers by texting LANCS plus your message to 847411. Tipsters may remain anonymous and do not have to give their names.
