Blotter: Vandalism at Abandoned House, SMLL; Thefts From Cars

BROOMALL–On Oct. 2 at approximately 5:40 p.m., Marple police responded to the 300 block of Columbia Place for a reported vandalism incident. According to the report, a neighbor called police to report that someone had attempted to enter an abandoned house at 314 Columbia Place. According to the report, the garbage can was under the window and part of the window frame had appeared to be broken off. The house has been in foreclosure for a year, according to police. During an investigation, an appraiser arrived on scene and told police another appraiser may have been at the home earlier that day, according to the report. Upon further investigation, nothing was disturbed and no entry was gained, according to the report.

SMLL Gets Graffiti and Spray-Painted

On Sept. 21 at approximately 9 p.m., police was on patrol around the South Marple Little League field and made contact with two men who had just finished doing work on the field for an upcoming tournament, according to the report. The men told police that someone had vandalized the little league sign and spray-painted the bleachers, according to the report, and grafitti was also found on the snack bar. 

Theft From Car at Planet Fitness

On Sept. 25 at approximately 4:25 p.m., police responded to the parking lot of Planet Fitness for a reported theft from a vehicle. An employee at Planet Fitness told police he parked his pickup truck on the side lot along the fence at around 3:30 p.m. When he returned to his vehicle, he found that his debit card was missing from his wallet but the wallet was left inside his vehicle and otherwise in tact, according to the report. According the report, the driver’s side door was punched in, which had alerted the vehicle owner of the theft. After observing the surveillance video at Planet Fitness, it was discovered that a gray or black Chevy Malibu (or similar) had parked next to the employee’s vehicle and one man was observed exiting the vehicle, approached the driver’s side door of the pickup truck at approximately 4:11 p.m., and immediately drove away from the area, according to the report. In addition, several Planet Fitness clients saw the two men acting suspiciously in the parking lot area around 4 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. but decided to wait to alert anybody until after the men had left, according to the report. Police are further investigating this incident.

Theft From Car at Martins Run Senior Center

On Sept. 28 at approximately 2:50 p.m., police responded to Martins Run Senior Care Center on 11 Martins Road in Media for a reported theft from a vehicle. Upon arrival, police spoke to an employee at the care center and a private contractor who reported that sometime between 4 p.m. on Sept. 27 and 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 28, someone had removed numerous tools from a locked cabinet on the contractor’s work truck that was parked across the driveway from the back of the kitchen, according to the report. The contractor reported the truck was left unlocked and the key to the padlock that was on the cabinet was left inside the cab of the man’s truck, according to the report. The following items were reported missing: one pair of Echo hedge clippers valued at approximately $300; one pair of Shenandoah hedge clippers valued at approximately $600; one Husqvarna chainsaw valued at approximately $400; and two pole saws valued at approximately $200. Total loss was calculated to approximately $1,500. Police are further investigating this incident.