Montgomery Township Police. Photo by James Short.
The defendant was found in the woods near an accident involving the car in Cheltenham.
Montgomery Township Police issued a warrant on July 12 for township resident Mark James Cooney, 34, of the 100 block of Hillside Court, to answer charges of felony theft by unlawful taking, felony receiving stolen property and misdemeanor unauthorized use of a vehicle stemming from an incident at Giant Food Store.
On July 7, 2024, at 4:08 a.m., police responded to the 1201 Knapp Road grocery store for a report of a vehicle theft. Upon arrival, police met with the victim who reported his maroon 2011 Nissan Rogue was stolen from in front of the store during his work shift, according to the affidavit.
The victim told police he arrived for work on third shift at 9:45 p.m., and when he left his shift at 4 a.m., the car was gone, police said. While the victim had possession of the key fob for the Nissan, he told police a neighbor was in possession of the other fob and is allowed to use the Nissan during the day, per the complaint.
The victim could not contact his neighbor and told police her ex-boyfriend, identified as Cooney, had appeared at her home, police said.
Police spotted the Nissan southbound on Route 309 at Hartman Road at 10:48 p.m. July 6, per the complaint.
The car was later found crashed and abandoned at the intersection of Cobden Road and Willow Grove Avenue in Cheltenham Township, police said.
Shortly after the crash, police said Springfield Township Police were dispatched to check on the well-being of Cooney after the caller, using a GPS app, saw Cooney’s phone was stationary in a wooded area one block from the crash site, police said.
Cooney was found in the woods and taken to Chestnut Hill Hospital for treatment, police said. Cooney denied knowledge of the car, police said.
Later, police contacted Cooney at his home, where he again denied knowledge of the car’s location or where the keys were to the vehicle, according to the affidavit. Cooney’s ex-girlfriend also did not know of the car being missing or the location of the keys, police said.
Surveillance footage from Giant Food Store, police allege, shows Cooney arrive in the parking lot on a bicycle at 10:29 p.m., and then approach the Nissan at 10:30 p.m. The vehicle starts and Cooney exits the lot toward Knapp Road, per the complaint.
Video surveillance from Wawa at 1008 Bethlehem Pike at 10:33 p.m. shows the Nissan enter the lot and park at a gas pump, police said. The driver exists the car and enters the store at 10:34 p.m., and was identified as Cooney, police said.
Cooney, on surveillance, moves the car to the front of the store and then re-enters Wawa at 10:38 p.m., where he buys cigarettes and uses the ATM, police said. Cooney then leaves Wawa, enters the Nissan and leaves the lot at 10:47 p.m., police said.
Cooney was remanded to Montgomery County jail following a July 19 arraignment before Magisterial District Judge Maurice H. Saylor, but a Common Pleas order set bail at $2,500 unsecured on July 22 and Cooney was released, per court documents.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 13 at 1:30 p.m. before Magisterial District Judge Andrea Duffy.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
