Man Charged for More Forks Break-Ins

An Easton man already in custody after admitting to police he broke into numerous vehicles on College Hill and in Forks Township has now been charged in more of those cases, with about $5,700 in items and cash allegedly taken in almost a dozen incidents.

The new charges also reflect a new admission by the suspect – that his break-in spree started earlier than he first said.

He now admits the spree began in early August; he previously said the spree lasted for two weeks in September.

All told, Terry Patrick Ruser, 38, was identified in surveillance video by his short stature and backward New England Patriots cap, is accused of stealing $5,760 in items and cash during break-ins between Aug. 2 and Sept. 19, court records say.

He’s also charged with using credit cards stolen from the vehicles to make purchases totaling more than $425, the records say.

Some of those purchases – mostly $250 in gifts cards from Wawa stores onEaston’s College Hill and in Lower Nazareth Township – were detailed when Ruser was arraigned the first time on Sept. 20.

The new charges – for which Ruser was arraigned Tuesday -- list an additional $75 in purchases using credit cards he allegedly stole.

Details from the first arraignment described how Forks police conducted a Sept. 19 stakeout on College Hill and spotted Ruser as the man resembling the person shown on surveillance video buying the gift cards at Wawa – about 5-feet-2 to 5-feet-4 with a thin build and wearing the backward Patriots cap.

Some of that information is repeated in the new charges. For instance, Ruser allegedly stole a Canon Rebel T1i digital camera valued at about $1,500 from the same vehicle that yielded the credit cards he allegedly used to buy the gift cards at Wawa.

Police previously said Ruser, before he was jailed, helped them recover “numerous stolen items” from his apartment in the Hotel Lafayette, 11 N. 4th St. But police found that some of the items indicated the break-in spree started in August.

They again talked to Ruser on Sept. 27, when he admitted to the spree’s earlier start, the records say. He also told police his girlfriend took several stolen items to a pawn shop but that she did not know the items were stolen.

The new criminal complaint, filed by Forks officer Joseph S. Effting, lists the following details on the break-ins:

-- Aug. 2 into Aug. 3, from a brown Kia Optima parked on the 800 block of N. Fork Drive, a Garmin Nuvi navigation device valued at $150, and an AT&T cell phone charger valued at $25.

--Aug. 8 into Aug. 9, from a Volkswagen Jetta parked on the 1100 block of Spring Road, a Garmin Nuvi navigation device valued at $117 and about $10 in change.

--Aug. 8 into Aug. 9, from a gray Honda Odyssey parked on the 1100 block of Winter Lane, about $3 in change.

--Sept. 1 into Sept. 2, from a 2003 blue Honda Element parked on the 900 block ofZucksville Road, a JanSport bag containing a MacGregor softball glove, a pair of black Nike cleats, a black knee brace and a pair of sunglasses, valued at $100.

--Sept 1 into Sept. 2, from a 2005 Toyota Camry parked on the 1000 block ofCosenza Court, about $90.

--Sept. 9 into Sept. 10, from a gray 2012 Ford Focus parked on the 500 block ofAcorn Drive, a black iPhone valued at $400, and a black Solo computer bag with a laptop computer and three flash drives, valued at $600.

--Sept. 11 into Sept. 12, from a 2009 GMC Denali parked on the 2600 block ofFringe Lane, about $200 in cash and an L.L.Bean backpack with a black wallet and a Canon Rebel T1i digital camera, combined value of $1,775. Credit cards from this vehicle allegedly were used to buy the gift cards at the Wawa stores.

--Sept. 14 into Sept. 15, from a 2005 Saturn L300 parked on the 2600 block of N. Delaware Drive, a black wallet and about $20.

--Sept. 14 into Sept. 15, from a white 2008 Mazda parked on the 2600 block of N. Delaware Drive, two iPhones – one black, one white – with a value of about $250; a brown, black and tan Coach purse and numerous credit cards, value of $300.

--Sept. 18 into Sept. 19, from a 2007 GMC Yukon parked on the 200 block ofPaxinosa Road East, a Garmin Nuvi navigation device with case valued at $800; a pair of Bushnell binoculars valued at $250; an Olympus camera valued at $400; a black Mount Blanc change wallet valued at $20, and a BACTrack Brethalyzer valued at $250.

At Tuesday’s arraignment, Ruser was charged with theft from a motor vehicle and receiving stolen property – both third-degree felonies -- and misdemeanor charges of  access device fraud and theft by deception. 

District Judge Jackie Taschner of Palmer Township set bail at $15,000. He remains in Northampton County Prison.