Crime & fire.
Both men are free on 10% of $10,000 cash bail.
Two Philadelphia men are accused of breaking into a fenced parking lot of a plumbing supply company in Upper Providence Township, cutting the locks off of delivery trucks, and stealing $15,000 in plumbing supplies.
Michael Anthony Ruth, 30, of the 3400 block of Salmon Street, and Hayden Edward Griffin, 23, of the 4700 block of E Thomspon St, were each charged with felony and related conspiracy counts of theft by unlawful taking, burglary, receiving stolen property, and criminal trespassing, according to court records.
On Nov. 10, at 11 p.m., Upper Providence Township Police responded to Ferguson Enterprises at 1116 Longford Road, in the Oaks section of the township, for a report from a security guard of a suspicious SUV, according to the affidavit. Authorities said the security guard was contracted due to a significant theft that occurred one week prior at the business.
Police said a white 2019 Hyundai SUV drove onto the grass on the side of the property, and upon police arrival, it was found parked in the lot next door, with tire marks in the grass leading to the parking lot. Furthermore, a vertical three-foot-long cut was made in a fence, police said.
As police approached the SUV, the driver began driving away toward Green Tree Road without any lights on, per the affidavit. Officers immediately began to track the SUV in the area of Egypt Road and Route 422, and found it on Longford and Blackrock roads, police said.
Ruth was driving the SUV, police allege, and told police he was coming from Reynold’s Dog Park. When he was told his SUV was seen in the parking lot, Ruth allegedly said he was there, but also at the dog park, and he was with his friend “Hayden,” but lost him in the woods.
Ruth told police they were taking a walk in the woods and then turned over a suspended driver’s license, authorities said. Police noticed Ruth’s seats were covered in black plastic trash bags, and when asked why, he told police that they were in the woods all day and were soaking wet, according to the complaint.
Officers responded back to the business in question to search for suspects. Police found boxes outside a fence, as well as a man in dark clothes walking away from officers, per the complaint. The man was commanded to stop, but he allegedly ran toward Longford Road, and into the woods, police said. A bag with bolt cutters was found at the scene, police said.
Police believed the suspect, identified as Griffin, had laid down to avoid detection. Police called for a K9 to track Griffin, but then heard branches breaking in the woods by the fence line, police said. Police saw the individual running away, but stopped upon being told he would be tased by Lower Providence Police, according to the report.
Griffin was told to lie facedown, but he refused, police said. He was eventually placed on his stomach and he told police that he did nothing wrong and was “chilling” in the woods, police said.
During a search of Griffin, police found two locks that had been cut and a lighter, police said.
Ruth’s car was impounded and searched by police, per the affidavit.
Authorities eventually found a large amount of plumbing equipment and supplies scattered inside and outside the cut fence, including large pieces of metal, boxes of materials, Fieldpiece vacuum pumps, and other items, police said. There were also two carts containing supplies, a hand cart stacked with supplies, loose boxes, and a forklift with supplies on it, police said.
Police allege the items were taken from the company’s delivery trucks, which were parked by the loading docks.
At least four trucks had their rear door locks cut off, police said.
Griffin told police that he and Ruth cut the fence surrounding the rear lot of the business, cut locks off the truck doors, moved plumbing supplies outside the fence, and stole items, in order to get money, per the affidavit.
Both defendants are each free on 10% of $10,000 cash bail, according to court records. Both have preliminary hearings set for Dec. 17 at noon before Magisterial District Judge Cathleen Kelly Rebar.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
