Arrests.
Arik William Garth, of Telford, is accused of the 4 a.m. theft of a 2009 Altima, after failing to enter a locked Ford SUV
A Telford man was allegedly captured last week on residential surveillance video in an alleyway behind North Main Street by the Souderton Police Department stealing a Nissan Altima at 4 a.m.
Arik William Garth, 32, of the 200 block of Telford Pike, told investigators with Souderton Borough Police that he found four quarters in one vehicle, and even attempted to enter a locked Ford SUV, before stealing the red 2009 Altima, police allege in an affidavit.
Garth is charged with felony counts of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property, misdemeanor theft, misdemeanor unauthorized use of a car, and two misdemeanor prowling charges for the March 17 incident, according to charging documents.
Police said at 5:15 a.m. that day, a resident reported the Altima stolen, which was last parked at 1 a.m. The car was parked in the rear of the home, off an alley, which runs alongside Souderton Police Department.
One of the residents of the block captured a suspect on their Ring camera at 4 a.m. in the alleyway, police said. Surveillance footage shows a man walking down the alley at 4:02 a.m., and then walking behind garages along the 400 block of North Main Street.
In the video, the suspect, alleged to be Garth, walks from the resident’s backyard onto the driveway, and then walks up to the driver’s door of their Ford Expedition, police said. Garth then allegedly pulls the handle to see if it is locked.
At 4:04 a.m., the interior lights go on in the neighbor’s Nissan, police said, followed by the headlights and backup lights.
Then, Garth allegedly backs the Nissan out into the alley and drives to West Summit Street, then to North Main Street.
At 9:20 a.m., Souderton Police were notified by Montgomery County Emergency Communications that Cheltenham Township Police had the Nissan stopped and Garth detained in their township, police said.
Souderton investigators traveled to Cheltenham Township Police headquarters to interview Garth, where he was read his rights and refused counsel, according to the affidavit.
Garth told police he was staying at an apartment on the 200 block of Telford Pike for the last three weeks. He told police he went into several cars and “may have taken four quarters from one car,” according to the complaint.
Garth allegedly took money from another car, but decided to put it back. He allegedly admitted that he stole the Nissan, drove it to a nearby Wawa parking lot and parked. Then, he walked up to the Wawa door, but immediately returned to the car, police allege.
Police said Garth admitted to backing out of the parking space at Wawa, turning right onto Main Street. He also allegedly admitted to trying the door handle on the Ford SUV.
Garth remains jailed in Montgomery County on $2,007 cash bail, which includes a parole/probation detainer. An April 2 preliminary hearing is set at 2:45 p.m. before Magisterial District Judge Adam T. Katzman.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
