A rash of similarly styled break-ins hit the Lehigh Valley since December.
Richard WeatherspoonPolice have arrested an Allentown man who allegedly broke into a Bethlehem dollar store, but could be a suspect in several other similar burglaries in the Lehigh Valley, according to court records.
Richard Weatherspoon, 42, of the 100 block of North Fourth Street, was arrested only hours after he broke into the Dollar Tree store at 1854 Stefko Blvd. in Bethlehem, court papers say.Police say a rash of break-ins at Dollar Tree stores in the area since Dec. 21 have had similarities, particularly in the use of tools to cut open the safes that guard the stores' cash. Store surveillance at a Whitehall Township location caught a glimpse of a Jeep Cherokee with a single black door leaving the scene of the store following a burglary, court papers say.
Roughly three hours after the Bethlehem break-in, where about $1,000 was reported stolen, Allentown police conducted a traffic stop on a Jeep matching that description after learning that Weatherspoon, the registered owner of the vehicle, was allegedly driving with a suspended license.
Allentown police obtained a search warrant and found tools inside the vehicle that were consistent with the burglaries, court documents say. Inside the Jeep, police reported finding a drill, drill bits, a reciprocating saw, gloves, a crowbar, a hammer and $415 cash inside the vehicle, court papers say.
Weatherspoon told police he had burglarized the Bethlehem store, according to court documents. Police say they believe Weatherspoon might be behind burglaries at other Dollar Tree stores in Whitehall Township, Allentown, Easton and Stroudsburg, Pa., court documents indicate.
His only charges for the time being stem from the Bethlehem burglary, court records show.
Weatherspoon was arraigned Friday night before on-duty District Judge Jacqueline Taschner in Palmer Township on charges of burglary and theft. He was sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.