Three Charged with 197 Counts Related to Power Tool Thefts in Delco, Chester and Montco

Three Philadelphia men have been arrested and charged in 197 counts relating to a suspected wave of thefts of power tools from vehicles in Montgomery, Chester and Delaware County, according to a statement from Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman

Matthew Suarez, Nicholas Suarez and Donald Hodum face a total of 197 counts of Theft by Unlawful Taking, Conspiracy of Theft by Unlawful Taking and related charges. The value of the stolen power tools is estimated by the Montgomery County DA ranges from $22,546 to $72,464.

In the months of August and September 2014, Vetri Ferman says, Whitemarsh Township Police received complaints of multiple thefts from motor vehicles, specifically power tools from work trucks and vans.

Most of the thefts were committed in a similar manner, with the use of a flathead screwdriver to punch the lock of the vehicle door to gain access. Further investigation revealed there were numerous victims of these types of thefts in townships throughout Montgomery, Delaware and Chester Counties.

On Sept. 27, 2014, a victim called the Whitemarsh police for a possible theft from a motor vehicle during the early hours of that morning. Police responded in time to stop and detain two of the suspects, Nicholas and Matthew Suarez. Search warrants were executed and allegedly revealed various stolen tools in their vehicles.

Police say that further investigation determined that Matthew Suarez, Nicholas Suarez, and Donald Hodum had been selling the stolen power tools. Investigators allegedly identified the tools that were sold as the same tools that were taken during many of the reported thefts.

Police also searched all three of the suspects’ cell phone records and use cell tower information to determine that the three suspects’ phones were present near the locations of numerous thefts when they occurred, according to the district attorney’s office.

Matthew Suarez was originally arrested Oct. 8, 2014 and Magisterial District Judge John Murray set bail at $25,000 cash. He waived his preliminary hearing and pleaded guilty to Conspiracy of Theft by Unlawful Taking. Judge Wendy Demchick-Alloy is scheduled to sentence him on April 22. He was subsequently charged with the additional thefts and is scheduled for a Preliminary Hearing on April 2 in front of Judge Murray.

Nicholas Suarez was arrested on Dec. 2, 2014 and Judge Murray set bail at $15,000 cash. He waived his preliminary hearing and is awaiting his pre-trial conference on May 5 in front of Judge Demchick-Alloy. He was subsequently charged with the additional thefts and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on April 2.

Hodum was arrested on March 12 and bail was set at $5,000 cash. His preliminary hearing is also scheduled for April 2.

(Photos: From left, Matthew Suarez, Donald Hodum and Nicholas Suarez/Courtesy Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.)