Emmaus police say they nabbed two adults and a juvenile in a Penske truck loaded with tires and rims stolen from an automobile dealership.
An officer pulled in about 12:15 a.m. Monday to the rear of the Kelly Mitsubishi lot at 437 E. Main St. in the borough after seeing the rental box truck enter the property, according to court records.
Officer Kevin Schmidt spotted the truck with several figures out on foot in an overflow lot for new Mitsubishi models, police said.
As police approached, the individuals quickly got into the truck and tried to leave, striking a 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander belonging to Kelly Auto Group, records say.
Schmidt took into custody the juvenile driver; Christopher Zeigler, 38, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Daniel Harrison, also 38, from Pottstown, Pennsylvania.
Investigators found three Outlander and two Mitsubishi Lancer models with their tires and rims removed, and the vehicles resting on blocks of 4-by-6-inch lumber, according to police.
In the back of the Penske truck, police said they found five rows of four tires stacked, totaling 20 tires and rims valued at more than $6,000, that had been removed from the vehicles. Police also found tools, including a car jack and lug wrench, and more of the lumber, cut to lengths similar to those placed under the five vehicles, according to court records.
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An executive with Kelly Auto Group told investigators no one had permission to be on the lot at that time or to remove the vehicles’ tires and rims, police said.
Zeigler and Harrison were both arraigned before District Judge Jacob Hammond on charges of attempted theft, possession of instruments of crime and criminal trespass. Both were sent to Lehigh County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail each. Harrison was later freed on bond.
The two face preliminary hearings tentatively scheduled Feb. 27 before Hammond.
Court records do not indicate whether charges were filed against the juvenile.
Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
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