Three arrested in Tamaqua burglary

Three men were arrested in Tamaqua for removing roofing material from a home in the 500 block of East Union Street on Feb. 28.

A neighbor called police at 1:03 p.m. to report three men were at the home and were removing items from the property, which had recently been sold at a sheriff’s sale.

As officers were responding the trio left in a Dodge Ram pick up truck. The neighbor was able to provide the license plate number.

The registration came back to Harold Hill, 47 Mush Dahl Road, New Ringgold.

The truck was located at the home of Christopher Lee Hill, 30, 407 Willing St, Tamaqua, a short time later.

Officers found both Hills and Joseph Franz, 30, of 214 Lombard St., Tamaqua, in the home.

The trio explained they were at the home with the permission of the owner, Ben Sherry. They were there to do some remodeling.

When told the property had been sold to someone else on Sept. 28, 2017, Franz said he looked it up on the Schuylkill County Parcel Locator, which still listed a Sherry as the owner. He also said he was purchasing the roofing material from Sherry.

Sherry was contacted and said he thought he was still the owner and had given Franz permission to enter the home to fix it up.

He denied giving Franz permission to take the roofing material, which had actually been purchased by the new owner, Scott Wesner of McAdoo.

Wesner said there were 30 rolls of felt roofing paper in the home, providing a receipt from their purchase.

Officers went back to 407 Willing St. and were able to recover 27 of the rolls. Franz and Christopher Hill were taken into custody. Harold Hill had left the area.

Christopher Hill and Franz were arraigned before duty District Judge James Ferrier, of Orwigsburg, on charges of burglary, criminal trespass, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.

Ferrier set bail at $15,000 straight cash, which neither man was able to post.

They were taken to the Schuylkill County prison in Pottsville.

Harold Hill was later arraigned before District Judge Stephen Bayer, of Tamaqua, on the same charges.

He was released on his own recognizance.