Crime & Safety
Palmer Man Charged With Stealing Staircase
A Palmer Township Man is accused of stealing a metal staircase worth $600 dollars and selling it for $41.80.
Not only is a man accused of stealing a prefabricated metal staircase, but police say he received a decidedly negative return on investment:
He sold the staircase, valued at $600, for $41.80 at a scrap yard.
In a step-by-step investigation following the March 15 theft, police were able to identify the suspect, Keith A. Rosenberg, 45, of 98 Jonathan Drive, through the registration on the pickup truck he was driving and surveillance video at the scrap yard.
A criminal complaint filed by Palmer Sgt. Timothy G. Ruoff tells the following story:
The green prefabricated metal staircase, 10 feet long and weighing 400 pounds, was stolen from a flatbed trailer at Prized Possessions, 1011 S. 27th St. in Palmer, between 3pm and 4pm, according to store owner Lynn Smith.
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Smith told police he called Easton Iron & Metal Co., 1100 Bushkill Drive in Easton, after the theft and was told a staircase had recently been scrapped.
Two days later, Smith and a police officer went to the scrap yard and found the staircase in the southeast portion of the yard. He gave police the scrap yard receipt. It said two people would be needed to lift and load it, it placed its weight at 380 pounds and said it was sold for $41.80.
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A yard official said the following was visible on surveillance video: a silver or white pickup dropped off the staircase; the driver was wearing a baseball hat that possibly had NASCAR and number 56 or 55 on it, and a second male was in the truck.
On March 27, Smith told police the same vehicle brought a load of metal to the yard. This time, police were able to identify the passenger as well as the vehicle registration number, which they traced to a woman whose address was listed as 98 Jonathan Drive.
Police later found that Rosenberg lives there. They obtained his photo, which matched pictures from surveillance video.
Rosenberg was arraigned Wednesday night by on-duty District Judge Douglas Schlegel of Wind Gap on charges of criminal conspiracy to commit theft by unlawful taking, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and criminal trespass (Prized Possessions has a “no trespassing” sign).
He was released on $20,000 unsecured bail.
The above arrest information was supplied by the office of District Judge Douglas Schlegel. It does not indicate a conviction.