Police: Mahanoy man burglarized library, stole coin collection box
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SENTINEL PHOTO - The Mahanoy City Public Library on May 15, 2019.
By Kaylee Lindenmuth
MAHANOY CITY – A Mahanoy City man is behind bars after police say he snuck into the borough’s library and stole a coin box last Friday.
According to borough police, officers were called to the Mahanoy City Public Library on Friday, May 10 for reports of a burglary, after library staff found a rear window open and a missing coin collection box.
An investigation found that Hector Lopez, 47, of West Market Street in Mahanoy City, visited the library several times that week and eventually unlocked the rear window and “cased” the courtyard at the rear of the building multiple times.
In the early morning hours that day, Lopez climbed the wall between the library and St. Paul’s church, placing a bag over one of the library’s security cameras, then climbed through the window he allegedly unlocked.
Inside, Lopez crawled along the floor, attempting to avoid interior security cameras, removed the coin box, and exited through the rear window. Coins fell out of the box as he fled the area.
Police recovered the coin box at his home.
Lopez was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge James Ferrier and committed to Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $15,000 straight cash bail. He will have to answer to felony charges of burglary, attempted burglary, and criminal trespass.
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