Trio took Berks woman's SUV and went on cigarette-buying spree, police say
Sep. 14—On Aug. 1, a resident in the Pennwood development in Caernarvon Township woke up to find her 2017 Ford Explorer missing from her driveway.
She also discovered her credit card that she had left in the vehicle had been used twice earlier that morning. The purchases took place in Reading and totaled about $75 at the Wawa store in the 400 block of Lancaster Avenue.
The same day, Caernarvon police also took a report from another Pennwood resident. He told police a credit card was stolen from his unlocked vehicle and used numerous times for purchases at the same Wawa store as well as a nearby McDonald's restaurant and Speedway gas station on Lancaster Avenue.
Unauthorized transactions continued through the morning: at the Wawa store on North 11th Street in northeast Reading, at the Wawa at Route 422 and Maplewood Drive in Amity Township, at Lowe's on Route 724 in Spring Township and at various Napa store locations. Nearly $1,400 was recorded in total charges.
Detective Cpl. Chad Eberly took over the investigation from the patrolman who initially investigated.
According to the criminal complaints:
Eberly learned the patrolman had located video from the township maintenance garage in the Pennwood development. Footage showed two males going property to property on foot while a black Fiat followed them.
The detective viewed the victim's Aug. 1 transaction history from the Wawa on Lancaster Avenue as well as footage from the store security camera system. It showed a black Fiat pulling into the lot along with a white Ford Explorer matching the SUV stolen from Pennwood.
A man later identified as Timothy S. Blair Jr., 25, got out of the Explorer about 4:20 a.m. and used the owner's credit card at the gas pump.
The Fiat was occupied by a woman and a man later identified, respectively, as Holly C. Reichardt, 55, and Tyriek J. Fields, 31.
Footage showed Reichardt making an in-store purchase of food and cigarettes using the victim's credit card.
Footage also showed Reichardt handing the second victim's credit card to Blair who used it to buy more food and cigarettes.
Footage also showed Blair and Reichardt using the second victim's credit card at the Speedway to buy cartons of cigarettes.
Footage from Lowe's in Amity Township showed Blair using the second victim's credit card in an attempt to buy tools. The transaction was declined.
Investigators learned the Fiat was registered to Reichardt.
Eberly learned that Reichardt associated with Fields, her boyfriend, and Blair.
A check on police records showed a Caernarvon Township police officer previously encountered the trio at Hollywood Casino Morgantown in the township. They were using a black Fiat.
After comparing the officer's body camera footage of his encounter with Blair to the footage of the male suspect using the victims' credit cards, Eberly identified him as being involved in the Explorer theft and fraudulent credit card purchases.
Blair, who has lived in Hamburg and Reading but currently has no permanent address, was arrested Sunday.
He was committed to Berks County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail to await a hearing following arraignment before District Judge Alvin B. Robinson in Reading Central Court. He had not posted bail as of Thursday afternoon.
Blair faces charges of vehicle theft, conspiracy to receive stolen property and several counts of conspiracy to commit identity theft.
Reichart and Fields, both of Reading, have been charged with similar offenses, but they remain at large.
