Man and woman charged in Wyomissing vehicle break-ins

Two Sinking Spring residents face a multitude of charges after Wyomissing police said they broke into two vehicles on July 14 in the borough.

In the first break-in, a woman had left her purse under the seat of her vehicle about 6:40 p.m. in a parking lot in the 800 block of Berkshire Boulevard. She discovered when she returned at 9 p.m. that the rear passenger side window was smashed and her purse was gone. It contained a wallet, a purple Nikon digital camera, flash drive and debit card.

The second break-in was reported about 10:02 p.m. July 14 in the 2200 block of Ridgewood Road. The theft was similar to the first case: the thieves smashed a window in the victim’s vehicle and stole her purse.

Video surveillance footage from the latter theft showed two people getting out of a late 1990s-model Chrysler Cirrus or Plymouth Breeze near the victim’s vehicle, then leaving a few seconds later.

A few hours after the second break-in, West Reading police stopped a black 1998 Chrysler Cirrus at about 12:33 a.m. July 15 at Penn and Tulpehocken avenues. Officers found pot and a bong in the back seat, as well as broken glass, several credit cards and a set of brass knuckles between the driver and passenger. A search of the Chrysler also turned up a purple Nikon camera, several mp3 players and more marijuana.

The two occupants, a man and a woman, were arrested. She was charged with eight counts of criminal conspiracy one count of possessing a prohibited weapon and two counts each of criminal mischief, receiving stolen property, theft from a motor vehicle and theft by unlawful taking. He was charged with six counts of criminal mischief, one count each of possessing a prohibited weapon, marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia and two counts each of theft from a motor vehicle, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, criminal mischief, and receiving stolen property.

Both were released on $40,000 bail pending a preliminary hearing.