Courts. (Credit: Flickr/Creative Commons)
Felony charges of theft and receiving stolen property were held for arraignment in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court next month against a Telford man accused of stealing a Nissan Altima from an alley near Souderton Police Department on St. Patrick’s Day.
However, misdemeanor charges of unauthorized use of a car and one count of prowling/loitering at night were withdrawn at a preliminary hearing this month for Arik William Garth, 32, of the 200 block of Telford Pike. Additional misdemeanors of prowling at night and criminal attempted theft by unlawful taking were also held for county court.
Police said at 5:15 a.m. March 17, a resident reported the Altima stolen, which was last parked at 1 a.m. in the rear of the North Main Street home, off an alley, which runs alongside Souderton Police Department.
One of the residents of the block allegedly captured Garth on their Ring camera at 4 a.m. in the alleyway, police said. Surveillance footage shows Garth walking down the alley at 4:02 a.m., and then walking behind garages along the 400 block of North Main Street, police allege.
At 4:04 a.m., the interior lights go on in the neighbor’s Nissan, police said, followed by the headlights and backup lights. Then, Garth allegedly backs the Nissan out into the alley and drives to West Summit Street, then to North Main Street.
At 9:20 a.m., Souderton Police were notified by Montgomery County Emergency Communications that Cheltenham Township Police had the Nissan stopped and Garth detained in their township, police said.
Souderton investigators traveled to Cheltenham Township Police headquarters to interview Garth, where he was read his rights and refused counsel, according to the affidavit.
Garth told police he was staying at an apartment on the 200 block of Telford Pike for the last three weeks. He told police he went into several cars and “may have taken four quarters from one car,” according to the complaint.
Garth allegedly took money from another car but decided to put it back. He allegedly admitted that he stole the Nissan, drove it to a nearby Wawa parking lot and parked. Then, he walked up to the Wawa door but immediately returned to the car, police said.
Police said Garth admitted to backing out of the parking space at Wawa, turning right onto Main Street. He also allegedly admitted to trying the door handle on a Ford SUV.
Garth remains jailed in Montgomery County on $2,007 cash bail, which includes a parole/probation detainer.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
