Collegeville Borough Police. Photo by James Short.
The defendant told police he was homeless and knew he was not allowed in the buildings.
A man from Stowe has been charged with felony counts of burglary and criminal trespassing for allegedly wandering suspiciously around the campus of Ursinus College and entering a student’s dorm room.
On Tuesday, Ursinus College campus safety called 9111 to report a suspicious man on campus, identified as Matthew Tyler Scharneck, 29, of the 600 block of Holly Drive, according to charging documents. Scharneck allegedly wandered inside Isenberg Hall at 801 E. Main St. in Collegeville Borough, police said.
The victim told police that Scharneck was inside his dorm room and he did not know him and never gave him permission to be in his room, police said.
Police and campus security began searching for the defendant, who was found inside Thomas Hall at 800 Main Campus Drive on the school’s campus. The victim confirmed Scharneck was the man inside his dorm room, police said.
Scharneck was taken into custody without incident, and he admitted to being inside Isenberg Hall even if he had no right to be there, police said. He told police he has been homeless for the past year, but recently reconciled with his mother and will be straying with her in Stowe, PA, police said.
Scharneck is free on $10,000 unsecured bail and has a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Cathleen Kelly Rebar on Jan. 14 at 11 a.m., per court records.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
