Crime & Public Safety.
A Bethlehem Township man suspected to be the thief in a rash of tire thefts from area businesses waived charges of felony burglary and felony criminal trespassing by breaking into a structure at a preliminary hearing in Bucks County district court last week, accused by police of being caught in the act of stealing tires from Meineke in Quakertown Borough.
Antonio Peguero, 51, of Bethlehem, was also charged Aug. 21 by Quakertown Borough Police with misdemeanor attempted theft and criminal mischief, per court records.
A formal arraignment in Bucks County Common Pleas Court is scheduled for Oct. 4 at noon, according to the court docket.
Peguero has five active criminal cases in Bucks and Northampton counties, according to court records. Three of those cases are at the Magisterial District Court level.
Peguero remains incarcerated at Northhampton County jail on 10% of $200,000 cash bail, according to court records. He was transferred from Bucks County jail on Wednesday, per court documents.
Police were dispatched to Meineke at 630 S. West End Blvd. on Aug. 21 at 3:49 a.m. for a burglary in progress. An employee reported that a man, identified as Peguero, broke the glass to the garage bay and entered the building, police said.
The employee exited the office and saw Peguero, police allege, and yelled at him.
Peguero was holding attire and dropped it and left through the way he came in, police said in the affidavit.
The employee watched Peguero get into a white Subaru SW with the license plate covered up with a microfiber towel, per the report.
Police said Peguero attempted to steal a Fullway HP10B tire 205/55/R16, valued at $90.
Quakertown Borough security cameras were checked and a white Subaru SW was seen traveling north on Route 309 at Trumbauersville Road, police said. The Subaru turned right onto Trumbauersville Road and was driving without rear lights on, police said.
Police captured Peguero’s car east on Trumbauersville Road at 3:46 a.m., and then again in front of 17 S. Main St. in Quakertown Borough, per the affidavit.
Police said Peguero exits the car and removed something from the rear license plate area, before re-entering the car and continuing north on South Main Street. The Subaru makes a left onto West Broad Street and then toward Route 309, police said.
Police said other local law enforcement agencies have been investigating the theft of tires in the area involving a white Subaru. Peguero’s M.O., police said, matches the investigation.
“In those other investigations, a suspect, Antonio Peguero … was developed,” police wrote in the affidavit.
Police located Peguero’s car at 3:50 a.m., north on Route 309 near Pumping Station Road, per the affidavit.
Quakertown Police contacted Pennsylvania State Police at Dublin, and were advised that Peguero was at their barracks for an interview, according to the complaint.
When Quakertown Police responded to the state police barracks, a white Subaru was in the parking lot, with several tires inside of it, police said.
Police said officers asked Peguero if he drove the white Subaru and he admitted he did, and also admitted to driving it the night before.
When asked if he was in Quakertown the night before, Peguero, police allege, first said he was not, but when told his car was captured on surveillance video in Quakertown, he then admitted to being in the borough.
Peguero was asked if he was at Meineke, and he said he was not, but was at the nearby Hyundai dealer, per the affidavit. Officers told Peguero they knew he was at the Meineke and that is why they were talking to him, and that they knew he broke a glass window on the garage to get in, and was caught in the act of stealing a tire, police said.
Peguero admitted to police he was at Meineke, and had pushed in the glass window to get into the building, per the affidavit. When he was surprised by the employee, he fled the scene, according to the complaint.
According to court documents, Richand Township Police charged Peguero Aug. 26 with felony theft for an Aug. 11 offense.
Peguero has a scheduled preliminary hearing Sept. 24 at 11 a.m. in Bethlehem City Magisterial District Court on misdemeanor charges from Bethlehem Police of theft of mail and theft by unlawful taking, per court records.
Peguero is currently scheduled for criminal court in Northampton County Common Pleas Court Oct. 29 at 9 a.m. on charges of felony retail theft, filed in January 2024 by Bethlehem Police, per court records.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
