Lansdale Police. Photo by James Short.
Police said officer heard glass shatter, found two women inside East Main Street unit early Thursday
A former tenant and another woman are facing felony charges after police said they broke a glass door to re-enter an East Main Street apartment in Lansdale early Thursday morning following an eviction.
Karin Linde, 44, formerly of the 200 block of East Main Street, Lansdale, and Megan L. Krache, 38, of the 200 block of Hunter Lane, Upper Gwynedd, were charged with felony criminal trespass, along with misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief, possession of an instrument of crime and loitering and prowling at nighttime, plus summary public drunkenness, according to court documents.
According to the affidavit, Lansdale Police were on patrol around 2:57 a.m. near 235 E. Main St. when an officer heard several loud noises followed by the sound of glass shattering. The noise was coming from the rear of the property, and the officer observed two individuals on the porch of an apartment who appeared to be breaking the glass door, court records state.
Police said one of the women appeared to be using a long object or tool to strike the door. The pair then entered the apartment before officers could make contact, according to the complaint.
Officers approached the second-floor unit and observed the shattered glass door, along with tools placed on a chair near the entrance and broken glass on the porch floor, the affidavit said. Police announced their presence and directed occupants to exit the apartment.
The women were identified as Linde and Krache. When asked how they entered the apartment, they allegedly admitted breaking the door.
Linde told police she had been evicted and was attempting to retrieve belongings from the residence, per the complaint. Officers contacted the property owner, who confirmed Linde had been formally evicted and was not permitted to be on the property or inside the apartment, according to police.
"Krache stated that they were trying to gather Linde's property and acknowledged that there was a better way to go about it," police wrote in the affidavit.
While speaking with the women, police reported observing signs of intoxication, including the odor of alcohol, slurred speech, glassy eyes and an unsteady gait.
Each defendant is free on $10,000 unsecured bail ahead of an April 22 preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Ed Levine.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
