Two men fled on foot after police in Schuylkill County say they began investigating a disabled vehicle parked in a roadway, a vehicle that police later determined had been stolen from a Mount Carmel dealership.
On the morning of March 9, Butler Township Police patrolling Creek Rd. discovered the Chrysler 300 parked halfway in the road without a license plate. Police say as they approached, the driver, identified as David Brown, 42, of Fairview-Ferndale, Northumberland County, slid over to the passenger seat, while the passenger, identified as Charles Adukaitis, 36, of Frackville, exited the vehicle.
Adukaitis reportedly approached police to ask for transmission fluid, stating the vehicle had broken down during a test drive. Police say Adukaitis claimed he did not know why the car lacked a license plate and stated the vehicle belonged to Brown.
When questioned, Brown provided his name and date of birth, and told police his driver’s license was suspended. Brown allegedly told police the car had been in storage for 10 years and that he was taking it for a test drive.
As police checked the vehicle’s identification number on their computer, both men walked toward a nearby residence on Creek Rd. Police say they lost sight of the men and searched the property with negative results.
An initial check of the vehicle identification number showed it belonged to an Automotive Toy Store LLC in Mount Carmel, but it was not listed as stolen at that time. Police say they temporarily left the scene to respond to a disturbance at a nearby business.
Upon returning to the abandoned Chrysler, police contacted an employee of the Mount Carmel car dealership. The employee told police the business had discovered that morning that the Chrysler had been stolen over the weekend, along with a white Ford Econoline van.
The vehicle was towed from the scene. Mount Carmel Township Police officially entered the vehicle as stolen the following day.
Both Adukaitis and Brown were eventually apprehended.
In connection with this incident, police have charged Adukaitis with a felony count of receiving stolen property. He was arraigned on this charge before Magisterial District Judge Edward Tarantelli and is being held on $25,000 bail.
Brown was also charged with a felony count of receiving stolen property and several summary traffic offenses. He’s being held on $50,000 bail.
Last week, Adukaitis was also charged in connection with a traffic stop in Saint Clair during which he was allegedly driving a van reported stolen out of Mount Carmel. On him at the time, police say, was a cache of prescription medications. He is being held on $100,000 bail in that case. (READ MORE: Schuylkill County Man Jailed After Allegedly Driving Stolen Van, Possessing Rx Drugs)
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