SHENANDOAH - A man charged with stealing $35,000 in items from an area business and a nonprofit fire society was jailed after surrendering to authorities Friday morning.
Raymond G. Hower, 23, of 1400 E. Centre St., Mahanoy City, appeared before Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker, Shenandoah, on charges from thefts from the Schuylkill Historical Fire Society and Blaschak Coal Co. in November and December 2012.
Kilker arraigned Hower on charges of one felony count each of burglary, criminal trespass, criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property, as well as a misdemeanor offense of loitering and prowling at night for the fire society theft.
Then, for the Blaschak theft, Hower was arraigned on charges of one felony count each of theft by unlawful taking, criminal mischief, criminal trespass and receiving stolen property, along with a misdemeanor offense of recklessly endangering another person.
Kilker set bail at $25,000 straight cash for each of the cases and ordered Hower committed to Schuylkill County Prison after he was unable to post the combined $50,000 bail.
A preliminary hearing will be held at 1 p.m. March 4 before Kilker in his Shenandoah courtroom.
Hower was charged Thursday by Mahanoy Township police Officer in Charge Brandon Alexander, who investigated the thefts.
Alexander said that in December, Hower went to the fire society garage-warehouse at 11 East End Road, just outside Mahanoy City, where he stole items valued at more than $10,000 and caused an estimated $15,000 in damage to 12 antique fire trucks.
Among the items stolen from the society were the brass fittings off 51 sections of fire hose, as well as 50 brass caps from fire engines, seven Mack bulldog ornaments from the hoods of vehicles and other brass fire lanterns, nozzles, valves and fire extinguishers.
The month before, in November, Alexander said Hower went to the Blaschak Coal Co. site at 163 Delano Road in the township and stole 5,000 feet of copper ground wire valued at $20,000 and 250 copper crimps valued at $5,000.
Alexander said his investigation, along with information received from fire society officers, led him to a Mount Carmel salvage business, where Hower was tentatively identified as the man who submitted several of the items for sale.
It was also learned that Hower sold some of the copper taken from the coal company at a Mahanoy City salvage center.
Alexander said Hower was interviewed last week in connection with the fire society theft and admitted to committing the crime.
Also during the interview, he was confronted with the thefts from Blaschak Coal Co. and admitted to that crime, as well.
Alexander said two other similar thefts in the township are being investigated and are also believed to have been committed by Hower.