New Jersey men accused of series of commercial burglaries in region
By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times
These regular nocturnal visitors to Dunkin’ Donuts stores weren’t going after the crème filling, authorities said.
New Garden Township Police said Thursday that two New Jersey men are in custody, charged with a series of commercial burglaries in the tri-state region. Kareem Crouch, 31, and Arthur Reynolds, 51, both of Atlantic City, were apprehended in Delaware after hitting a Dunkin Donuts there on Sept. 28, police said.
The pair is awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania, where they are accused of at least two donut-shop break-ins on Sept. 17, police said. New Garden police linked them to a nighttime burglary at the Dunkin’ Donuts located in the 700 block of West Cypress Street in New Garden, and West Whiteland Township Police said a Dunkin’ Donuts at 318 E. Lincoln Highway in Exton was victimized the same night.
Police said the pair, wearing gloves and masks, gained entry by removing the cylinder lock on the front door; once inside, they disabled the surveillance cameras and stole over $5,000 in cash, using crowbars to pry open doors and cash registers.
In other New Garden Township Police news, officers were dispatched on Oct. 2 at 10 p.m. to a report of a sexual assault that occurred in the 1300 block of Newark Road. A resident at the facility reported being sexually assaulted by another resident, who was identified as John Maneely, 27, of Lancaster, police said. A warrant was issued and executed without incident by authorities in Lancaster County, police said. Maneely was arraigned and taken to Chester County Prison to await a preliminary hearing on Friday after failing to post $200,000 cash bail, court records said.
On Oct. 2 at 8:05 p.m., New Garden officers responded to the intersection of Baltimore Pike and Newark Road in Toughkenamon for an accident, police said. Upon arrival, police observed a white Jeep Grand Cherokee stuck on a concrete barrier in a grassy section on the northwest side of the intersection after having struck another vehicle, police said. The victim said the driver of the Jeep, Marcos Diaz, 26, of Wilmington, De., was trying to flee when he hit the barrier, police said. After making contact with Diaz, who had a strong odor of alcohol and admitted to consuming beer, police said they found empty beer cans in the Jeep. After failing field sobriety tests, Diaz was taken into custody for suspected drunken-driving, police said.
Police investigated an Oct. 3 domestic altercation that resulted in a criminal-mischief citation for Amalia Tapia, 45, of Toughkenamon. Police said Tapia threw rocks at a relative’s car, causing damage.
On Oct. 9 at 11:57 p.m., New Garden officers observed erratic driving that led to a traffic stop in the 1000 block of Baltimore Pike, police said. Contact was made with the driver, Michael Phillips, 24, of Kennett Square, who showed signs of intoxication and was arrested for suspected drunken driving, police said. His passengers, Jason Duncan, 20, of Kennett Square, and Ashley Mayer, 19, of Akron, smelled of an alcoholic beverage and admitted to consuming alcohol; both were cited for underage drinking, police said.
A Kennett Square resident was charged with simple assault and harassment on Oct. 12 at 12:10 a.m. after New Garden officers were dispatched to a report of a physical domestic in the 600 block of Cedar Woods Circle, police said. Upon investigation, Craig Curry, 36, threw an object at the victim during an argument, causing a small laceration, police said.
