Two stopped, one charged in theft at VF Outlet in Wyomissing

Wyomissing police stopped two people on suspicion of shoplifting about 2:45 p.m. Jan. 30 at VF Outlets, in the 800 block of Hill Avenue in Wyomissing. One of them received a citation. The other suspect, a 23-year-old Wernersville man, was charged with retail theft and receiving stolen property and jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Vehicles broken into on Old Mill Road in Wyomissing

Over the course of two days, Wyomissing police received reports of two vehicle break-ins in the 700 block of Old Mill Road:

• Jan. 31: Cash and other items were stolen overnight from an unlocked vehicle.
• Feb. 1: About 3:21 p.m., a man discovered $57 in cash, three identification cards, a debit card and three packs of cigarettes were stolen from his vehicle.

Call about threats leads to DUI arrest

A man told Western Berks Police about 9:53 p.m. Jan. 27 that an employee of a restaurant in the 1700 block of State Hill Road in Wyomissing threatened him with a gun. Wyomissing police searched the worker and his car but couldn’t find a gun. While on that call, though, police did stop a car for careless driving a short time later, at 10:01 p.m. on State Hill Road. The suspected driver, a 41-year-old borough resident, refused a blood-alcohol test. He was arrested and charged with drunken driving and careless driving, and jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Police find pot in car following accident in Wyomissing

Two vehicles collided about 7:24 p.m. Jan. 21 on Crossing Drive in Wyomissing when one of them crossed lanes into oncoming traffic, striking the second car. No one was injured; apparently the two occupants of the first vehicle were healthy enough to run from the crash, in opposite directions. When Wyomissing police arrived they spotted some small bags of marijuana in the now-vacant vehicle.

Woman reports grandson’s theft to police

A woman told West Reading police about 9:55 a.m. Jan. 28 that her grandson, who is in Berks County Prison on other charges, had charged more than $600 using one of her credit cards. She didn’t want to press charges but was told to close the credit card account and dispute the charges. Police are considering filing charges against the grandson.

Three juveniles face shoplifting charges after getting caught at Berkshire Mall

Security guards stopped four girls about 5:35 p.m. Jan. 22 at a store in the Berkshire Mall, in the 1600 block of State Hill Road in Wyomissing, for stealing $98.78 worth of merchandise. Three of them now face theft charges.

Driver faces drunken-driving charges following wrong turn in West Reading

West Reading police officers who had stopped another vehicle spotted a gray Ford Taurus make an illegal left turn about 1:02 a.m. Jan. 28 at South Third and Penn avenues in the borough. The driver of the Taurus now faces drunken-driving charges.

Hospital patient accused of assaulting state trooper

A patient at Wernersville State Hospital faces assault charges after she allegedly punched a Pennsylvania state trooper in the face aobut 4:30 p.m. Jan. 23 in a room at Reading Hospital, at South Sixth Avenue and Spruce Street in West Reading. The trooper was interviewing the 21-year-old woman about a rape accusation she had made. After the meeting the trooper told the patient she’d have to go back to Wernersville State Hospital, where she’s staying by court order. The woman walked toward the door, yelling she wouldn’t go back there. After ignoring orders to sit down, she punched the state trooper in the face. The suspect now faces charges of simple assault, aggravated assault, resisting arrest, harassment and two counts of disorderly conduct. She was jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Shouts lead to drunken-driving arrest in West Reading

Someone called police to report a woman yelling profanities, presumably from her car, about 2:55 a.m. Jan. 23 in a parking lot in the 400 block of Penn Avenue in West Reading. After she drove away police stopped her vehicle on South Fourth Avenue and the officer discovered she was drunk. She was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.

Anti-Semitic caller gets attention of Wyomissing police

A woman called Wyomissing police in the morning of Jan. 12 to report a pair of calls she received on her answering machine from a man who said he hates Jews. The caller didn’t make any threats but the victim wanted the phone company to trace the calls.

Worker shows too much

A woman at a business in the Berkshire Mall was training a co-worker in the evening of Jan. 11 when he exposed himself. She didn’t press charges but did tell police.

Man arrested after traffic stop in West Reading

West Reading police stopped a van about 10:17 p.m. Jan. 20 that was traveling nearly double the 25 mph speed limit in the 200 block of Penn Avenue in the borough. An officer stopped the van in the 300 block of South Fifth Avenue and told the driver he had been going 45 mph. The driver had more than a lead foot; he also had nine outstanding warrants, and was arrested.

Flat tire gives away DUI suspect

A man who was driving about 2:18 a.m. Jan. 20 on the West Shore Bypass in West Reading aroused suspicions of police because he only had three inflated tires. A borough police officer stopped the car and discovered the driver had been drinking. A search also turned up some pot in the man's left pocket. His vehicle was towed and he was taken to a hospital for a blood test.

Hospital patient found with pot

While doing a routine inventory procedure on a trauma patient, Reading Hospital security guards found a small plastic bag of marijuana in the man's coat pocket, about 11:34 p.m. Jan. 20 at the hospital in West Reading. Borough police seized the drugs.

Vehicle break-in reported in West Reading

A man called police about 11 a.m. Jan. 19 after he discovered someone broke into his car overnight while it was parked in the 100 block of Tulpehocken Avenue in West Reading. Police did not indicate what, if anything, was stolen.

Laptop stolen from Reading Hospital

A patient at Reading Hospital in West Reading told borough police in the afternoon of Jan. 17 that a laptop she brought with her when she was admitted has since gone missing.

Birdsboro man charged with shoplifting in West Reading

West Reading police arrested a 39-year-old Birdsboro man about 5:04 p.m. Jan. 19 after he was reportedly caught shoplifting from a store in the 500 block of Penn Avenue in the borough. The suspect, whom officers described as “somewhat cooperative,” was charged with retail theft and jailed in lieu of $20,000.

Man calls police after getting kicked out of bar

A man was drinking at a bar in the early morning of Jan. 14 in the 100 block of South Third Avenue in West Reading. The bouncers decided he'd had enough to drink and asked him to leave. The man left, but not before threatening to call police. About 1:28 a.m., he followed through on his threat. Emergency dispatchers told the officers the caller was “very intoxicated.” Police couldn't find the drunken caller once they arrived at the bar.

Reading woman charged in credit-card fraud

A 19-year-old Reading woman was charged Jan. 14 in a credit-card fraud that a Wyomissing woman reported Jan. 6 to borough police. The victim had discovered someone else used her credit card to buy $1,757 in merchandise from Big Lots. The suspect was charged with two counts each of access device fraud and criminal conspiracy and one count of theft by deception. She was jailed in lieu of $10,000.