GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP - Three men were arrested Saturday after they allegedly stole copper piping from a home and attempted to sell it, police said.
Officers responded to a residence on Aloe Street after receiving a 9-1-1 call regarding a burglary in progress at 12:49 p.m. Saturday. The caller reported that copper piping was being stolen from the residence and loaded into a vehicle, polcie said.
The caller provided a detailed description of the vehicle which left prior to police arrival. Officer Dan Choe and Detective Bryan Casey then went to Joe’s Auto Salvage on Route 50 in Hamilton Township, a common location for selling scrap metal.
Police then found the suspect vehicle in the parking lot.
The driver, William Gerhardt Jr., 29, of Galloway, was taken into custody by Choe without incident. The other two suspects, Joshua Mangold, 26, and Marcus Debow, 25, both of Mullica Township, were in the office and ran when they saw police.
Casey pursued Mangold and was able to take him into custody on Dahlia Street in Galloway. Debow crossed Route 50 and ran into a large wooded area bordering Galloway and Hamilton.
Police said a perimeter was set up by Galloway officers who were assisted by officers from Hamilton Township and Egg Harbor City. Debow was spotted and chased several times over a two hour period. He was finally taken into custody by Galloway Officer Dan Weigle with the assistance of a Joe’s Auto Salvage employee in a wooded area off of Walnut Street in Hamilton.
Mangold was charged with conspiracy, receiving stolen property, and resisting arrest. He was lodged at the Atlantic County jail on $15,000 bail set by Judge Howard Freed.
Gerhardt was charged with conspiracy, burglary, and theft. He was lodged at the jail in lieu of $15,000 bail set by Judge Howard Freed.
Debow was charged with conspiracy, burglary, theft, and resisting arrest. He was lodged at the jaul on $20,000 bail set by Judge Howard Freed.
Officer John Mooney and Casey are the investigating officers.
