If you’re one to start your vehicle and walk away while it warms up, you may want to pay attention to this story.
A Hamburg man is accused of going on a vehicle stealing spree last week through Berks and Schuylkill counties. And in all but one incident, police say Cody Snyder got in someone else’s vehicle that was unlocked and already running.
Hamburg Man Accused of Stealing Several Vehicles in Schuylkill, Berks Counties
State Police in Hamburg say Snyder’s spree started last Monday evening in the 800 block of Chestnut St. in Shoemakersville.
At around 6:30, Snyder is accused of hopping in a Jeep Cherokee that was unlocked and running.
That Jeep was recovered at about 11 that same night. State Police from the Schuylkill Haven barracks responded to the Big Lots distribution center along Rausch Creek Rd. in Tremont Township.
Police did find that stolen Jeep Cherokee but they were responding to a call from an employee of the distribution center. That employee reported to police someone had stolen their Hyundai Kona, which was also left unlocked and running.
That Hyundai was eventually recovered, on Thursday, in Porter Township.
But Snyder apparently wasn’t done taking vehicle that didn’t belong to him.
On Tuesday morning, at about 6:15 , State Police from the Haven barracks responded to the Burger King location in Tremont Township. A patron there reported someone had stolen her purse, which had the keys to her Jeep Compass, which was taken.
Police got a look at surveillance video from the Burger King and identified the suspect at Snyder.
It wasn’t until 2 a.m. Wednesday that police found that stolen Compass. It was at the Love’s truck stop location in Upper Bern Twp., Berks County. But police found the Compass because someone at the truck stop reported their Toyota RAV4 was stolen. The victim of that crime also told police that they left it unlocked, unattended, and running in front of the store.
What’s not clear is whether police recovered that stolen RAV4 but later that same day, at about 2 p.m., State Police from the Hamburg barracks got word that Snyder was near The Westy in Tilden Township. During a search of the area, police found Snyder under the Route 61 underpass down the road from The Westy.
He was arraigned in front of District Judge Kim Bagenstose and sent to Berks County Prison on $50,000 bail, which he’s yet to post. Snyder’s facing vehicle theft charges in both counties.
