124969283_web1_WB-State-of-Emergency-city-council

Wilkes-Barre City Council working on public participation for next meeting

124968972_web1_cruz

Nurses Month: Gloria Cruz

FAIRVIEW TWP. &mdash; Investigators believe they know at least two people responsible for a rash of coin machine break-ins at car washes in the area.
				Justin William Kline, 30, of Pottsville, was arraigned Wednesday for his alleged role in smashing open coin machines at the Community Car Wash on North Mountain Boulevard in Fairview Township on Feb. 29.
				Court records say Kline, together with Amy Jo Kemmerer, 33, also known as Amy Chado, of Mountain Top, and a third person named &ldquo;Jay,&rdquo; were recorded on surveillance cameras parking a 2005 Ford Focus missing a rear driver side hubcap and walking to the car wash where they smashed open coin machines between 2:34 a.m. and 3:09 a.m.
				The owner of the car wash, Scott Martinelli, told police in Fairview Township approximately $2,500 in bills were stolen and damage totaled $26,000 to replace or repair coin machines, court records say.
				During interviews with investigators, court records say, Kline claimed they only stole &ldquo;pennies&rdquo; and didn&rsquo;t get much while Kemmerer said they got about $260.
				Kline and Kemmerer are believed to have smashed coin machines at car washes in Hanover Township, Wright Township and Pottsville.
				According to the criminal complaint:
				Fairview Township police investigated the theft and damage at the Community Car Wash where surveillance cameras recorded the Ford sedan and three people holding tools walking into different car wash stalls.
				During the investigation, police in Butler Township had in their possession a photograph of the Ford missing a rear driver side hubcap taken weeks earlier due to a drug overdose incident.
				State police in Hazleton also had information about the vehicle.
				Police in Old Forge stopped the Ford, operated by Kemmerer, on March 7 due to the license plate being registered to another type of vehicle.
				During the traffic stop, police in Old Forge learned Kemmerer and Kline were wanted by Hanover Township police for the coin machine break-ins at the Sans Souci Car Wash on March 5.
				After they were jailed, Kemmerer told investigators they needed money to support their drug addictions and food, and Kline claimed he did not remember, only admitting to stealing &ldquo;pennies&rdquo; from car washes, the complaint says.
				Kline was arraigned by District Judge Donald Whittaker in Nanticoke on charges of theft, criminal mischief and two counts of criminal conspiracy filed by Fairview Township police. He was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $75,000 bail.
				Kemmerer has not been arraigned on similar charges by Fairview Township police.
				Kline and Kemmerer are facing related charges in county court for the alleged theft at the car wash in Hanover Township and are facing open charges for the car wash thefts in Wright Township.

Couple charged with smashing open car wash coin machines