Charges were held over for county court Friday against a Williamstown man charged with breaking into and stealing items from the D.G. Yuengling & Son brewery gift shop on Mahantongo Street last month.
Jose Omar Vasquez, 32, appeared before Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, on charges of burglary, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and criminal trespass, all felony offenses, as well as a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief.
After a brief proceeding with only testimony by the arresting officer, Reiley ordered all charges against Vasquez held for Schuylkill County Court.
Police said Vasquez broke into the gift shop about 10:30 p.m. May 19 and was taken into custody on May 21 after officers learned he was hiding in a building at 222 Harrison St. in the city.
Pottsville police Capt. Richard Wojciechowsky said the day after the burglary, on May 20, a confidential source told police that they had information on the crime.
Officers contacted Yuengling officials, who then discovered the burglary and theft and reported a loss of about $3,000.
During the next two days of the investigation, Wojciechowsky said police collected evidence from the scene and spoke to residents, learning that Vasquez committed the theft and then went to a home at 512 Howard Ave.
At that house, Wojciechowsky said witnesses saw Vasquez counting the cash he had stolen and also consolidating the contents of several bank envelopes he stole from the gift shop.
Wojciechowsky said officers were able to speak with several witnesses who reported that Vasquez told them he committed the Yuengling burglary and also confirmed that they saw him use the stolen money to make transactions several times between the time of the burglary and the following evening.
After Vasquez was taken into custody, Wojciechowsky said officers searched the home at 512 Howard Ave. and recovered four bank envelopes from the gift shop.
Following the hearing, Vasquez was returned to Schuylkill County Prison where he has been held since the time of his arrest when bond was set at $50,000.
