Jefferson County Man Accused of String of Thefts

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (EYT) – A Punxsutawney man is facing charges related to a recent string of thefts from vehicles in Punxsutawney Borough.

Court documents indicate the Punxsutawney Borough Police Department filed criminal charges against 20-year-old Shawn Luis Marche of Brookville.

Around the week of July 8, the Punxsutawney Borough Police Department began receiving a multitude of complaints from residents about items being stolen from inside vehicles during nighttime hours in several neighborhoods throughout Punxsutawney Borough.

The items stolen included loose change, paper currency, wallets, purses, bank cards, identification cards, and firearms. A Kahr Anns .45 caliber handgun and a Jimenez .380 caliber handgun were among the items stolen.

In one incident, a female victim on Carlton Avenue had the passenger window of her vehicle shot out with a BB gun and belongings stolen from inside the vehicle. A silver BB was found lodged in her window seal, and one of the items removed from her vehicle was a bank card.

According to a criminal complaint, information was later provided that the victim’s bank card was accessed at a Punxsutawney Borough bank.

Officer Miller subsequently received still photos from the surveillance camera at the ATM machine of the bank which depicted a person wearing a dark-colored Monster Energy Drink hoodie. The person in the images had his/her face masked with a light-colored bandana.

During the overnight hours of Wednesday, July 25, to Thursday, July 26, Officers Renwick and Zellar received information that Shawn Marche was involved with the vehicle break-ins.

Officer Miller spoke to a relative of Marche’s on Thursday, July 26, who indicated that Marche had been staying at a residence on South Penn Street and had recently been “flaunting money” and buying things.

Officer Miller traveled to the residence and made contact with Marche.

According to the complaint, when confronted with the surveillance evidence, Marche allegedly confessed and admitted that he attempted to use three bank cards at the ATM, but denied obtaining any money, stating that the ATM confiscated two cards and “spit” the other one back out.

A short time later, March reported to the police station and brought with him a small bag containing several pocket knives, a box of ammunition, loose bullets, and a magazine from a .380 caliber handgun.

According to the complaint, March then provided a written statement in which he confessed to stealing “stuff” out of cars, stating it was “mostly” change and paper money. In the statement, Marche also stated that he met up with an individual who he identified only by a first name who gave him the stolen bank cards that he attempted to use at the ATM.

Marche stated that the individual attempted to give him a PIN number to retrieve funds from the machine, but insisted, again, that he did not receive any money, the machine retained two of the three cards, and the third he returned to the individual who gave it to him.

Officer Miller noted that parts of Marche’s statement were inconsistent with his earlier verbal statement and insisted that Marche cooperate in the recovery of the stolen items, particularly the firearms, the complaint states.

According to the complaint, Marche then left and returned to the police station within an hour carrying a backpack. The backpack contained broken glass, the stolen Kahr Arms .45 caliber handgun, a BB gun, a glass breaking tool, a Hash light, and drug paraphernalia. Marche stated that he retrieved the items from a vacant
residence and reported that he believed other items were still there, but he left because he believed the other individual was there.

Officers Miller and Zeller then traveled to the vacant residence Marche had mentioned, where they recovered several purses and wallets belonging to victims of the car break-ins. They also recovered a set of car keys and a satellite radio unit.

No money was recovered, and no one else was found at the residence.

According to the complaint, when questioned further about the individual, he reported giving him the ATM cards and being at the vacant residence, Marche claimed the individual is homeless and “couch surfs” from place to place.

Officer Miller questioned other individuals frequently seen on the streets of Punxsutawney Borough as well as known associates of Marche’s about the individual, but no one knew anyone of the name that Marche gave, and no one could corroborate Marche’s story.

Based on the investigation, Marche was arraigned at 2:35 p.m. on Wednesday, August 1, in Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office on the following charges:

– Theft From A Motor Vehicle, Misdemeanor 3
– Receiving Stolen Property, Misdemeanor 3
– Access Device Issued to Another Who Did Not Authorize Use, Misdemeanor 2

Unable to post $1,000.00 monetary bail, he was lodged in the Jefferson County Jail.

Marche is also facing charges for possession of drug paraphernalia and providing a false report.

Preliminary hearing are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 21, with Judge Mizerock presiding.


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