Courts.
The theft occurred in June 2023.
A copper thief from Franconia Township must repay $50,000 to the commercial property in Hatfield where he stole the metal from last summer, as well as spend 11 ½ to 23 months in Montgomery County jail for the crime.
Jason Michael Post, 45, of the 300 block of Harrington Way, was sentenced on Monday after pleading guilty to felony theft of secondary metal, according to court records. Common Pleas Judge Thomas M. DelRicci allowed Post to receive credit for time served in jail since Aug. 12, 2023, per the report from The Mercury.
Post must complete one year of probation after parole, per court records.
DelRicci also ordered Post to pay restitution to the owner of the vacant building on the 2600 block of Bethlehem Pike, according to the article. Post entered a plea agreement, represented by attorney James E. Tone, ahead of his trial.
On June 12, 2023, a burglary was reported to Hatfield Township Police by the owner of the property, police said, who found everything in order at the property three days prior.
On arriving at the site on June 12, the owner found electrical wiring tampered with and copper pipes removed from the basement, according to an affidavit.
Post entered the property through a hole intended for an air conditioning unit and crawl space in the north wall of the basement. He then cut out and removed multiple copper pipes from the ceiling area and ripped wires from the ceiling, police said.
Detectives put Post at the site during the time of the crime using Google location data and witness reports. One person told police they saw Post leaving the Bethlehem Pike property with plastic buckets filled with metal, per an affidavit.
As part of the accepted plea, Post was not tried on burglary, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, criminal mischief and conspiracy charges.
