Crime & Safety

Police Blotter: Retail Thefts, Thefts From Vehicles, and a Few Grinch-Like Incidents in Marple

The following information has been supplied by the Marple Police Department. If arrests or charges are mentioned, they do not indicate guilt or a conviction.

Baby Jesus Stolen From Nativity Scene

On Dec. 21 at 10:14 a.m., responded to the 2900 block of Highland Avenue for a reported theft of a Christmas decoration. The homeowner reports that sometime overnight someone had stolen a baby Jesus decoration for the Nativity Scene from their front yard. The approximate value of the stolen statue is $50.

Woman Steals $300 Worth of DVDs

On Dec. 21 at 7:56 p.m., police responded to the on 400 S. State Road in the Marple Crossroads Shopping Center for a reported retail theft. According to the incident report, Josephine Ann Guernsey, 58, of Collingdale, had exited the store with multiple DVDs without paying for them. She was apprehended by the store’s loss prevention officer and admitted to stealing the DVDs. The woman told police that she had no money and they were supposed to be Christmas presents, according to the report. The total value of the stolen DVDs was $299.56.  Guernsey was arrested and charged for retail theft and receiving stolen property.

Repeat Retail Thief Steals $200 Worth of Items

On Dec. 20 at 7:06 p.m., police responded to the on 1991 S. Sproul Road in the Lawrence Park Shopping Center for a reported retail theft. The store officer had arrested Josette Stewart, 43, of Bridgeville, DE, for concealing a pair of gloves, while removing the sensor, and a dress, into her purse as well as perfume into her coat pocket, according to the incident report. The total amount stolen was valued at $199.97. According to police, Stewart had several prior convictions of retail felony. She was arrested and charged for retail theft and receiving stolen property.

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String of Christmas Lights Snipped

On Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m., police received information from a homeowner on the 300 block of Columbia Place for a reported criminal mischief incident that occurred sometime overnight. According to the incident report, the woman said that sometime between 12 a.m. and 7 a.m., someone had cut a string of Christmas lights (valued at approximately $7). The woman told police that this was the fifth type of incident to occur at the home in this nature.

Woman Steals Electric Razor

On Dec. 19 at 6:28 p.m., police responded to the T.J. Maxx in the Lawrence Park Shopping Center for a reported retail theft. A 23-year-old woman from Philadelphia had concealed a Norelco electric razor in her purse, valued at $44.99, without paying for it. She was issued a non-traffic citation.

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Over $1,000 Worth of Power Tools Taken From Car

On Dec. 19 at 3:15 p.m., police responded to the 200 block of Remington Road for a reported theft from a vehicle. Upon arrival, the driver of the vehicle told police that he had returned home from work in his work truck on Friday and did not use it all weekend, but sometime over the weekend someone had entered the unlocked vehicle. Taken from the vehicle was one 10-inch Milwaukee circular saw; one 71/4-inch skill saw with a diamond blade; one Mikita biscuit joiner; and one Mikita random orbital sander. The stolen items had a total estimated value of $1,100-$1,200. Police are further investigating this incident.

Rock Thrown at Home Window

On Dec. 19 at 4:13 p.m., police responded to the 2100 block of S. Sproul Road for a criminal mischief incident reported. Upon arrival, the caller told police that sometime between Dec. 9 and Dec. 19, someone had thrown a rock at her front window. Police observed a rock in the flower bed in front of the home’s front window.

Coach Bag, Wallet, $40 and Diapers Taken From Vehicle

On Dec. 16 at 2:17 p.m., police responded to the 680 block of S. Parkway Blvd. For a reported theft from a vehicle. According to police, a vehicle had the rear passenger side window broken and a pink, white and black large Coach bag was taken from the vehicle. Inside the bag contained a pink Coach wallet with about $40 in cash and various credit cards, diapers and other accessories for her baby. The woman told police she had locked her car at approximately 1:15 p.m. and came back to her car at approximately 2:15 p.m. to discover the theft.

Christmas Tree Stolen From Home, Found in Middle of Street Damaged

On Dec. 16 at approximately 10:40 p.m., a homeowner on the unit block of Crespy Lane called police to report her artificial Christmas tree was stolen. The woman told police the tree was kept on her enclosed front porch. Police were able to locate the tree in the middle of the street on Cambridge Road, and appeared to be damaged beyond repair. The estimated value of the tree was $30. 

Thefts From Vehicles on Jamestown Road

On Dec. 17 at 10:10 a.m., police responded to the 1000 block of Jamestown Road for a reported theft from two vehicles. According to police, both vehicles were entered into sometime overnight. In the Ford Mustang, the center console was emptied with the contents left on the passenger seat and taken was a small buck knife. The other vehicle, a Dodge Ram, was also entered and taken was a Booster Pac ES5000 battery charger, a KD wrench case containing six specialty wrenches and a tan Carharrt jacket. According to police,  both vehicles were left unlocked during this time. The total estimated value of the stolen items is $460. Police are further investigating this incident.

On Dec. 17 at 10:21 a.m., police responded to another home on the 1000 block of Jamestown Road to report a similar incident of a theft from a vehicle. The homeowner told police that his unlocked vehicle was also entered sometime overnight. The vehicle was parked in the driveway at his home all night, said police. The vehicle that was entered into was a Verizon-owned company vehicle, in which his hand tools taken. According to the owner, the approximate value of his tools is estimated at $1,200. The owner told police he had discovered a small, unmarked, brown prescription pill bottle containing four pills laying on the driver’s seat. Police are further investigating this incident.

On Dec. 17 at 10:30 a.m., police responded to yet another home on the 1000 block of Jamestown Road for another reported theft from a vehicle. The homeowner told police said that his vehicle had also been entered into sometime overnight. According to the owner, the glove compartment was open and appeared to be rifled through and the trunk of the vehicle was left popped open as well. The man told police an old phone charger was taken as well as a pill container containing roughly $5 worth of quarters. Police are further investigating this incident.

Christmas Decorations Torn Apart, Thrown Across Lawn

On Dec. 18 at 1:46 p.m., police responded to the 2600 block of Oriole Road for a reported criminal mischief incident. According to the incident report, the homeowner’s Christmas decorations were damaged sometime overnight, tearing out the decoration and tossing them around the lawn.

Arson Incident: Garbage Can Set Ablaze

On Dec. 18 at 8:45 p.m., police responded to the 200 block of Canford Drive for a reported arson incident. According to police, the garbage can was set ablaze at the home and the incident was called in by a neighbor. The fire was extinguished upon arrival. Police are further investigating this incident and arson investigators were notified.

Lit Ornaments Ripped From Ground, Smashed Across Driveway

On Dec. 18 at 8:46 a.m., police responded to the 300 block of S. Bobbin Mill Road for a reported criminal mischief incident. According to the incident report, the homeowner’s Christmas ornaments displayed in the front yard were damaged. Police said someone had ripped the lit ornaments out of the ground and broke them in the driveway. Other items were also thrown toward the home and damaged. According to police, a small lighter was also found in the area of the ornaments but nothing appeared to have been burned. The estimated value of the ornaments is $100.


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