Three Lower Providence Police Officers Were Recognized For Helping To Apprehend Suspect

LOWER PROVIDENCE, PA — Three local police officers were recognized by township officials this week for their work in helping to apprehend a suspect in a theft investigation.

The Lower Providence Township Board of Supervisors during their Thursday meeting handed out Distinguished Unit Citations to Corporal Robert Heim, Detective Charles King and Officer Devon Auge for their teamwork in a theft case from late last year.

The three conducted surveillance and investigated together during the theft case, and officials recognized them for their "commendable performance and teamwork," the department stated on social media.

Lower Providence Police Chief Michael Jackson provided Patch with an account of the theft case that was the subject of the commendations.

The case dated back to November 10 of last year, Jackson said, when Lower Providence officers were sent to a call for a motor vehicle theft from B&M Auto Repair.

The business owner said that a suspect was observed rummaging through vehicles on the lot and that the man eventually stole another vehicle from the business, acts that were caught on surveillance video.

One week later, the same business owner reported that a man believed to be the same person involved in the first theft case had now stolen four vehicle tires and scrap car batteries before fleeing the scene.

The team of three officers then developed a plan to try and catch the suspect, which involved conducting overnight surveillance of the B&M Auto Repair property, according to the department.

Heim directed Officer Auge to take an unmarked police car and stake out the property just before 1:30 in the morning on Nov. 17, after which Auge watched as the suspect made his way to the lot and began rummaging through a vehicle on the property.

Within minutes, Heim arrived on scene and both Heim and Auge were able to take the man into custody, according to police.

Detective King was ultimately able to connect the same suspect to various other crimes in the area, including the theft of a vehicle from West Pottsgrove Township in western Montgomery County.

State court records show that the suspect, identified as Christopher Harman, 44, of Collegeville, has been charged with misdemeanor counts of theft by unlawful taking, theft from a motor vehicle, and loitering and prowling at night.

Harman had also initially been charged with an additional misdemeanor count of receiving stolen property, but that charge was withdrawn at the district court level, according to the docket sheet in the case.

Records show that Harman has a formal arraignment scheduled for March 30.