madfranks
11th October 2010, 07:56 AM
Link Here (http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-macungie-bank-reports-stolen-coins20101008,0,6291528.story)
Two men went to a Macungie bank Wednesday to trade in more than $1,000 worth of silver coins that had been stolen in a Berks County burglary earlier in the day, police said.
Philip A. Peterwas, 20, of Philadelphia and Maxwell D. Rutkowski, 20, of Barto, Berks County, were charged Thursday with receiving stolen property and conspiracy. Peterwas also was charged with burglary.
Macungie police were called to First Niagra Bank at 201 W. Main St. Wednesday afternoon after the bank employees, who already were alerted to the burglary, reported the men were trying to exchange the coins for paper currency.
The coins, worth an estimated $1,100 to $1,400, and their container were confirmed to be from the burglarized home on Huffs Church Road, Hereford Township, police said.
The homeowner had notified state police of the burglary and called nearby banks to ask them to watch for anyone who might show up with a specific glass container full of silver coins, police said. Peterwas and Rutkowski had silver coins in exactly the kind of glass container the victim had described, Macungie police said.
Borough police said they arrested one suspect as he waited for paper cash in the bank, and the other as he walked outside. Peterwas and Rutkowski were released to state police at Reading for prosecution.
The suspects were arraigned Thursday and committed to Berks County Prison -- Peterwas under $35,000 bail, Rutkowski under $25,000 bail.
Two men went to a Macungie bank Wednesday to trade in more than $1,000 worth of silver coins that had been stolen in a Berks County burglary earlier in the day, police said.
Philip A. Peterwas, 20, of Philadelphia and Maxwell D. Rutkowski, 20, of Barto, Berks County, were charged Thursday with receiving stolen property and conspiracy. Peterwas also was charged with burglary.
Macungie police were called to First Niagra Bank at 201 W. Main St. Wednesday afternoon after the bank employees, who already were alerted to the burglary, reported the men were trying to exchange the coins for paper currency.
The coins, worth an estimated $1,100 to $1,400, and their container were confirmed to be from the burglarized home on Huffs Church Road, Hereford Township, police said.
The homeowner had notified state police of the burglary and called nearby banks to ask them to watch for anyone who might show up with a specific glass container full of silver coins, police said. Peterwas and Rutkowski had silver coins in exactly the kind of glass container the victim had described, Macungie police said.
Borough police said they arrested one suspect as he waited for paper cash in the bank, and the other as he walked outside. Peterwas and Rutkowski were released to state police at Reading for prosecution.
The suspects were arraigned Thursday and committed to Berks County Prison -- Peterwas under $35,000 bail, Rutkowski under $25,000 bail.