PALMER TOWNSHIP, PA
A Bethlehem pair was arrested during an overnight crime spree
A Bethlehem man and woman are in custody after a Sunday into Monday overnight crime spree beginning with an attempted break-in at Weis Markets, according to Palmer Township Police.
The crime spree included private homes, parked vehicles and a nearby auto dealership.
Palmer Police responded at 3:44 am to a burglar alarm activation at the Weis Markets, 3011 William Penn Highway.
A white Cadillac SUV was parked near the supermarket’s gas pumps. This vehicle is registered to female defendant, Martha H. Toukolehto.
Martha Toukolehto and Eugene Ruiz
Palmer Township Police Dept.
Palmer Police identified Toukolehto as she was viewed on the Weis Markets’ store surveillance with an object in her hands trying to pry open the glass entry doors.
Her accompanying male suspect utilized a green patio umbrella offered for sale outside the front of the store as a battering ram smashing it into the glass entry doors attempting to gain entry.
Palmer Township Detectives identified this male suspect as Eugene A. Ruiz.
Palmer Police alerted surrounding police departments of their incident and male and female suspect descriptions.
At 5:20 a.m. Monday morning Palmer Police responded to a nearby Hartley Avenue home for a male banging on the door with a red fire extinguisher.
Responding officers observed the male suspect striking the apartment’s front door with the extinguisher. This male was taken into custody and identified as Ruiz.
The victim did not know Ruiz or why he was there. The apartment’s doorbell camera captured Ruiz striking the door.
Officers continued patrolling the immediate area searching for Toukolehto.
Patrolling officers found several vehicles broken into in this residential area.
A short time later an employee at Brown-Daub Kia, 3600 William Penn Highway, reported the lot’s plow truck was missing from its usual parking spot in the lot.
Dealership surveillance video showed a female matching Toukolehto’s description enter their lot on foot around 5:30 a.m.; around 5:41 a.m., she enters the plow truck, a green Ford F-250, and drives away in it.
This stolen pickup was soon found abandoned at the entrance of Brown-Daub Chrysler Jeep, 3903 Hecktown Road in Lower Nazareth Township.
Colonial Regional Police began searching this area of lower Nazareth for this female suspect.
At 9:00am, Colonial Regional Police were called for a female trespasser in the backyard of a home.
This female Suspect matched Toukolehto’s description.
Colonial Regional Police took her into custody, some 300 yards from the a stolen plow pickup truck.
The female was identified as Toukolehto.
Palmer Police took custody of Toukolehto from Colonial Regional Police.
Both Toukolehto and Ruiz were charged with Felony Burglary and related Offenses.
Both were arraigned and sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $150,000 bail each Charges Burglary (F1) Possession of Instrument of Crime (M1) Theft by Unlawful Taking (F3) Receiving Stolen Property (F1) Location 3600 BLK of William Penn Highway Palmer, PA 18045 Arrest Date Jun 26, 2023 Incident Type Burglary Reference ID 23-06947-1
Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®:
Comments