One of the many issues, Morrisville Borough Chief of Police Rich Ciampa said after taking over, was to confront proactively the car theft issues in the borough and some of those proactive measures implemented paid off recently as a trio of officers -Amanda Deluca, Dominic Chrzanowski, with Corporal Lew Halas- shut down a chop shop on W. Bridge Avene.
According to court papers, on Thursday, January 16th, at approximately 11:47 a.m all three officers were in the area of the side parking lot of 500 block of W Bridge St following a complaint that was generated the week prior of stolen auto parts pinging on facebook marketplace in the above area.
Police observed multiple “sports cars” resembling the samе tуре of vehicle that the complainant had stolen from her, although they were not her vehicle, police continue to research the auto parts pinging their investigative methods and sources.
While on scene, a male identified as Dierre A. Phelps arrived at the W. Bridge Street address in a silver Nissan sedan and claimed to be the owner/operator of the mechanic shop, said police in the probable cause affidavit.
On the rear of a Chevy Camaro parked next to the shop was a faulty Delaware temp tag of XQ338024 which did not have a full 17 digit VIN on it, police said.
Halas asked Phelps if that vehicle had any affiliation to him, and he pulled the keys out of his pocket and explained that an unknown person dropped off the vehicle and wanted work completed. Phelps provided no name or contact info for the alleged owner. Phelps unlocked the car and gave police consent to obtain the VIN. When the vehicle door was opened by police all of the VIN tags were removed from the vehicle, police said. Officers noted in court papers a VIN etched into the driver side bottom corner of the actual glass on the windshield of 1G1FJ1R60M0105348 which revealed the vehicle to be reported stolen out of Wallingford Connecticut.
Phelps also gave police consent to go inside the garage at the W. Bridge St property to confirm there were no stolen vehicles and/or vehicle parts inside. Phelps willingly opened the garage door and police discovered a blue Chevy Camaro VIN:1G1FG1R73G0132037 which had the entire engine area cut out along with the interior #27 and was also listed as stolen out of Middlesex NJ, the criminal complaint says.
Magisterial District Judge Corryn L. Kronnagel arraigned Phelps, January 16 on felony counts of owning/operating a chop shop, transports, sells, transfers, purchases, etc illegally obtained from chop shop, multiple receiving stolen property counts and one other theft related charge. Phelps spent approximately eight days in county jail and was released this past Friday after a bail reduction request was approved by a common pleas court judge. He is scheduled to appear for a court hearing to answer to the charges on February 4.
Recent Comments