Man charged with stealing four motorcycles from Carbon business

Charges have been bound over to Carbon County court against a man accused of stealing four motorcycles from a Carbon County business.

Angel Otero, 18, faces theft charges, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed by of the Palmerton Borough Police Department:

On Jan. 26, Kromer, along with patrolmen Adam Shimer and Trevor Flexer were dispatched to the Carbon County Communications Center to a report of a burglary in progress at R&D Powersports.

The communications center said the caller saw people pushing motorcycles south on State Road/Red Hill Road coming from R&D Powersports.

At the business, Kromer noticed the bottom panel of a garage door on the southwest corner of the building was damaged. Suspects entered the building by removing a plexiglass window from a door.

The bottom panel of the garage door was then pushed out, causing significant damage to the door.

The owner said four motorcycles were taken: two Suzuki 450 motorcycles, one Suzuki 250 motorcycle, and one KTM motorcycle. Officers followed State Road which transitions to Red Hill Road as it enters Lower Towamensing Township.

Officers stopped where the road terminates at the entrance to American Zinc Recycling property and they saw a dark Hyundai SUV on Route 248 east.

Shimer began to approach the vehicle, and observed a yellow motorcycle lying on the shoulder of the roadway.

The vehicle fled on Route 248 east. Officers secured a Suzuki RM motorcycle.

The witness told police she saw three men in dark clothing pushing motorcycles, and they were yelling to each other in Spanish.

Information was sent to Lehigh and Northampton counties.

At 1:13 a.m., police were notified that the Whitehall Police Department was in pursuit of a motorcycle in the area of Route 145.

At that time, police were advised by the comm center that Whitehall Police Department had a Hispanic man in custody on an orange and black motorcycle.

The motorcycle recovered on 248 East was secured by Strohl’s Towing. Police confirming that it matched the stolen KTM motorcycle. The vehicle identification numbers were provided for the motorcycles.

Lehighton State Police officers recovered the Suzuki 250 motorcycle on State Road/Red Hill Road.

Whitehall Police Department took the rider of the KTM motorcycle, identified as Otero, into custody. Otero had a black ski mask, gloves, and a spark plug, but denied stealing the motorcycle from R&D Powersports.

He faces four counts each of theft by unlawful taking or disposition and receiving stolen property, and one count each of burglary, criminal trespass and loitering and prowling at night.

He was scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Jan. 30 before District Judge William Kissner of Palmerton. waived his right to the hearing, and will appear at 9 a.m. Feb. 21 for a pretrial status conference in the Carbon County Court of Common Pleas.

He is free in lieu of $3,000 bail posted. No one else has been charged in connection with the theft.