Police blotter

Collegeville Police Arrest Wanted Man

Active warrants in at least two states

Collegeville Police Officer Andrew Sohl responded to a report of a suspicious male at Wawa. The shift manager called police after approaching a man who who had been walking around the store "holding something under his sleeve," the report states. The man reportedly became argumentative. He had left the store by the time Sohl and Officer Cubbler arrived, so they began to check the area. Around 2 a.m., Sohl saw a man dressed in black clothes and a black knit hat exiting from the front yard of 23 E. Fourth Ave., the report states. The man reportedly appeared to be trying to hide from police by standing among the trees on the property. Sohl stated that he shone a spotlight on the man and then exited the police vehicle; the man began walking on…

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Police blotter

Copper Pipes Stolen from Perkiomen Bridge Hotel

A police report does not indicate a conviction. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty.

An unknown person (or people) stole copper pipes from the Perkiomen Bridge Hotel. A Collegeville police officer made this discovery while on patrol Saturday, Feb. 25. According to a report by Officer Andrew Sohl, he noticed the rear loading dock door, leading to the old hotel’s kitchen, was open. Upon inspecting the property’s second floor, Sohl “observed that the baseboard covers were removed and the copper piping used inside the baseboards were removed.” A further check of the second floor revealed that “all the baseboard covers were removed and all copper was stolen,” Sohl wrote. Returning to the first floor, Sohl found more instances of copper theft, including a wash sink and a water heater. “It is unknown if any other items were …

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Old Grenade Removed from Ursinus Campus House

No one was injured; authorities dealt with discovery

The Montgomery County Bomb Squad removed (without incident) old grenade discovered in the basement of a currently unoccupied Ursinus College campus house in Collegeville, Thursday, Feb. 16, according to college and local police reports. A facilities service staff member found the device while doing routine maintenance at the 319 E. Ninth Ave. residence. Collegeville police officers and firefighters were called to the scene; the bomb squad was called as a precaution, an Ursinus spokesperson said. An ambulance was on standby, said Collegeville Police Chief Barton Bucher. The grenade was not live and it's estimated that it had been in the residence for many years. Police checked records to see if there were any incidents at the house, prior …

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Gas Leak Temporarily Closes Sears Hardware

No one injured or ill

The Sears Hardware store in Collegeville was evacuated and will be closed for two or two-and-a-half hours as a gas leak in the heating unit on the roof is repaired, according to authorities. Around 2:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, a Sears worker smelled a gas leak in the break room, according to reports. No one was sickened by the leak, employees said. Fire companies -- Collegeville, Trappe and Perkiomen -- and the Collegeville Police Department responded to the scene. After the repairs, fire officials must give the OK for the store to re-open.

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Elderly Man Taken to Hospital Following Two-Car Crash in Collegeville

Passenger was bleeding from the head, according to reports.

Emergency personnel responded to a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of West Fifth, Clayhor and Avon avenues in Collegeville on Monday afternoon. An elderly man, who was a passenger in one of the cars, had to be cut from the car and was taken to Paoli Hospital to be treated for a head wound. He was conscious at the scene. According to witnesses, a Chrysler Sebring was traveling on West Fifth Avenue, heading toward the intersection with Clayhor Avenue, and the driver failed to stop at a posted stop sign before entering the intersection. A Dodge Ram pickup was driving down Clayhor and collided with the Sebring. The impact forced the Sebring onto the sidewalk and part of the lawn of an Avon Avenue house. Excessive speed was not a factor …

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Ursinus Community Remembers 9/11

Displays, speakers, recognition took place throughout weekend

September 11, 2001. Where were you sitting? What were you reading? What was the smell in the air?  We all remember the little details. We remember the tiny parts of our lives that made up what came to be known as 9-11. Some even remember the big details. Some remember standing there, in New York City, watching the towers come to their knees. No matter what you have to remember from the day, the anniversary of the 9-11 attacks makes you think of something every year. The 10th anniversary, though, certainly brought about more than passing thoughts throughout the world. The Collegeville community did not miss out on remembering the date and all the lives lost just 10 years ago. Though many members of the community were living adult lives when…

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Collegeville Among Towns Increasing DUI Checkpoints Through Labor Day

Initiative employs federal funds for the initiative “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”

Through Labor Day, Montgomery County towns—including Collegeville —will increase DUI checkpoints after receiving federal funds, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Working in cooperation with the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” initiative, 36 local police departments—and 600 statewide—will "conduct roving patrols and checkpoints targeting motorists under the influence of drugs or alcohol," according to a PennDOT news release. Statewide enforcement will be upped and PennDOT officials encourage individual municipalities to wave is border-to-border enforcement. “People may have end-of-summer plans that involve alcohol, but safety should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind,” PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch said. “…

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Odor Complaint at Wells Fargo Resolved

The bank is open for business; no employees or customers required emergency transport.

Collegeville police and local fire companies arrived at the Wells Fargo Bank in Collegeville in response to a complaint about an odor around 9:30 a.m. Thursday. The odor turned out to be from an "overcharged battery"—not a gas or chemical leak. One person at the bank complained of a headache from the smell, and Trappe EMS personnel evaluated people at the scene. No one required emergency transport. The bank is currently open for business. Other responders included Collegeville Fire Company, Trappe Fire Company and Perkiomen Fire Company.

No Major Injuries Reported in Vehicle Crash in Trappe

One car collided with a utility pole. PECO crews were on the scene.

A Hilltown woman and a Downingtown woman were mostly unscathed after one woman's vehicle collided with a utility pole on Route 113 in Trappe Borough on Wednesday afternoon. The pole broke and crashed to the ground, hitting the car behind the striking vehicle. Both drivers were traveling north on Route 113/Rahns Road—near the Perkiomen Valley School District Office—when the driver of a silver Mazda 3 "lost control" of the vehicle and hit the utility pole, said Pennsylvania State Trooper Robert Pomponio. Pomponio wasn't sure what caused the driver to lose control, but he said DUI wasn't suspected. The front end of the Mazda suffered heavy damage, while the "top and front" of the next vehicle were damaged when the pole toppled to the ground, …

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Attempted Robbery at TD Bank in Collegeville

Police are seeking information leading to arrest.

The following information was provided by the Collegeville Police Department: A man fled a TD Bank following an unsuccessful robbery Saturday afternoon in Collegeville, according to the Collegeville Police Department.The perpetrator is still being sought. Officers responded to the bank—at 498 Second Ave.—at 3 p.m. for an attempted robbery report. A man holding a canvas coin bag presented a note stating that it was a robbery and demanding money. The teller started to walk away from the teller station. Then, the man reportedly told the teller, “You can’t walk away from me.”  The man grabbed the note and canvas bag and left the bank without gaining any money, police state. He fled the bank on foot using the Perkiomen Trail.  The perpetrator …

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