Man Stole $550 in Change, Court Records Say

A Forks Township man is accused of stealing $550 in change and two rolls of copper wire from a Lower Saucon Township man with whom he had been staying in September, court records say.

The father of Erik Charles Groover, 42, told police "he believes Erik is using drugs again because of all the money he is asking him [the father] for and the lies he is telling him," the records say.

A criminal complaint says Groover stole the change and wire Sept. 27 from Glen Goreski, while he was staying at Goreski’s house in the 3800 block of Beeline Drive.

Lower Saucon Patrolman Keith Bredbenner, who filed the complaint, said he called Groover and asked him to come to the police station. The officer said Groover asked him: "Is this about what happened at Glen’s house and do I need to bring bail money?"

Bredbenner said Groover failed to show up on Sept. 30 and Oct. 14 and, in the officer’s words, “he [Groover] stood me up.”

Goreski told police that Groover, whose address is listed as 408 Newlins Road West in Forks, had been staying at Goreski's house for two weeks "because Groover did not have any place to live," the complaint says.

Goreski said the change was in a five-gallon jug in a corner of his bedroom at 9 a.m. Sept. 27, but at 9 that night, the jug was empty and in the center of the room.

Goreski said there was no sign of forced entry when he got home and that Groover was "the only person" who knew the house’s alarm code. The complaint said the two rolls of copper wire were worth $275.

He said Groover hadn’t returned to the house since the alleged theft and wasn’t returning or answering Goreski’s phone calls.

The complaint was approved Oct. 22. The court file does not indicate how police found Groover.

Groover was charged with two counts of theft by unlawful taking.

He was arraigned early Tuesday by District Judge Robert Hawke of Lehigh Township and committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $35,000 bail.