Thieves Make Off With Scaffolding from One Montgomery Plaza

According to a report from the , thieves stole two large pieces of scaffolding from One Montgomery Plaza on Friday.

Officers responded to DeKalb and East Lafayette streets for a call shortly after 11 a.m. on Friday, May 11, to back up county detectives who were engaged in a vehicle stop of suspects suspected in the theft that had occurred only a short time previously. 

County Detective Ed Schikel told officer that a parking attendant at One Montgomery Plaza had alerted him to a black male in a red pickup truck with plywood sides who had just stolen two large pieces of scaffolding from the side of the building. Det. Schikel spotted the vehicle as it was leaving the scene and made chase on foot, but soon lost sight of the truck.

Det. Schikel got in his county vehicle and began searching the area for the truck. At approximately 11:11 a.m., the detective encountered a red 1997 Dodge Ram 2500 heading north on DeKalb Street form Bridgeport. The truck matched the description of the truck used in the theft, but without any scaffolding in the bed. Det. Schikel made a vehicle stop and questioned the driver, who stated he was coming from Bridgeport Auto and did not know anything about stolen scaffolding. Police check for warrants on the driver and the two passengers, and released the men and the vehicle when they came back clean.

Officers questioned the parking attendent who witnessed the crime and learned that she was in her booth when she heard a loud bang. She looked in her mirror and saw the front end of the red truck. She left her booth to investigate, and as she got closer, she saw two pieces of scaffolding missing from the side of the building. She ordered the men in the truck to stop, but the men did not comply. She described seeing at least two black males, one being the drive who was wearing a red shirt.

The scaffolding around One Montgomery Plaza is in place to protect pedestrians from crumbling pieces of the facade that are in danger of falling. Norristown Patch has .

Anyone with any information about this crime should contact Norristown Police at 610-270-0977.

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