The Schuylkill County man accused of stealing a Schuylkill Haven Police vehicle and then driving it to Delaware waived his right to a preliminary hearing in District Court on Tuesday.
Richard Weiss appeared before District Magistrate Judge AJ Serina to answer to charges connected with an April 14 incident in which he’s alleged to have stolen a police vehicle and drove it to Wilmington, Delaware.
By waiving his hearing, all charges against Weiss head to Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas. Weiss has been held at Schuylkill County Prison since April 15 on $75,000 cash bail.
According to police, Weiss arrived at the Schuylkill Haven station early on the morning of April 14 inquiring about a warrant for his arrest. When officers confirmed there was no such warrant, he was told to leave. Not long after, officers discovered one of their vehicles missing from the lot outside the station.
Surveillance footage reviewed by police shows the vehicle was parked and locked around 1:45 a.m. Weiss returned to the lot, entered the vehicle, and drove away.
The vehicle was later spotted in Leesport, where police say Weiss entered a Wawa, claimed to be an off-duty officer, and attempted to take cigarettes and candy. He left the items behind after being confronted by a store manager and fled before police arrived.
Just after 6 a.m., Amtrak police in Wilmington, Del., contacted Schuylkill Haven police and said Weiss and the vehicle were being detained. A shotgun stored in the vehicle appeared untouched, according to investigators.
Police have filed two felony theft charges, one for the vehicle and one for the shotgun, as well as two felony counts of receiving stolen property against Weiss. He’s also facing a misdemeanor count of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
ORIGINAL REPORT:
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