Lansdale Police. Photo by James Short.
The defendant then allegedly used the stolen car to attempt a retail theft at Target in Montgomeryville.
A Hatfield man is accused of stealing a new Subaru Forester from the Lansdale Public Library parking lot, driving it to Hatfield Police Station to ask for his drugs back, and then driving to Target with the intent of stealing from the store, per Lansdale Police.
Christopher Jordan Ganzel, 24, of an apartment on the 20th block of Poplar Street, was charged Aug. 21 with felony theft by unlawful taking, felony receiving stolen property and misdemeanor unauthorized use of a car, according to court documents.
Ganzel is free on $5,000 unsecured bail, according to records.
According to court records, five days prior to the Lansdale incident, Lower Merion Township Police allege Ganzel committed simple trespassing and disorderly conduct by using obscene language; he was arraigned and released on $1,000 unsecured bail on Aug. 16.
On Aug. 21, at 1:31 p.m., police responded to the library at 301 Vine Street in Lansdale for a report of an auto theft. Upon arrival, the victim told police he parked his green 2023 Subaru Forester at 12:30 p.m. in the front row of the library, next to a blue Toyota RAV-4, per the complaint. He and his son exited the car, and he put the fob in his pocket, police said
When the victim left his Subaru, it began making a weird beeping noise, police said. According to the affidavit, when an owner of a Subaru leaves the car running and leaves the vehicle, a noise is made as a reminder.
Police dispatch informed officers that video surveillance showed a Black male, wearing a white tank top, black long pants, and black and white sneakers, leaving the library and entering the Subaru at 12:48 p.m., per the complaint.
Then, Lansdale Police received a call from Hatfield Police stating Ganzel came to their station with the Subaru and asked for his drugs back before leaving, per the affidavit. Hatfield Police were familiar with Ganzel from prior reported incidents, police said.
Moments later, police received an updated location that Ganzel had attempted a retail theft at Target in Montgomery Township, before fleeing southbound in the Subaru on Route 309, according to the report. Police said surveillance images show Ganzel driving the car.
The victim told police that the vehicle’s value is $30,000, per the complaint.
Ganzel has a preliminary hearing Oct. 16 at 9:30 a.m. scheduled before Magisterial District Judge Edward Levine.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
