Sexual Abuse Charges Dropped Against Pottstown Middle School Teacher

NORTH COVENTRY — The sexual abuse charges against a suspended Pottstown Middle School teacher were dropped Thursday morning.

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jared Leimeister, 33, of North Coventry,had been charged with multiple felony counts of aggravated assault involving a child. According to the police report, he was accused of inappropriate contact with an 8-year-old girl, who spent time with Leimeister between October 2012 and February 2013.

Leimeister had also previously been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, corruption of minors and indecent assault of a person less than 13-years-old.

He was accused of making the victim sleep in his bed or in a cardboard box when she misbehaved while she was at his apartment in the 800 block of East Schuylkill Road, police said.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20130919/sexual-abuse-charges-dropped-against-pottstown-middle-school-teacher

Police Search For Masked Suspect After Robbery At West Pottsgrove 7-Eleven

Location of West Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WEST POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP, PA — Police are turning to the public for help to find a man who allegedly robbed the 7-Eleven on West High Street Thursday night.

Police Chief Earl Swavely said the suspect police are looking for is a black male, but no other information was available.  When the man entered the store in the 1100 block of West High Street, he was wearing a ski mask over his face and a dark hooded sweatshirt, police said.

According to police, the unknown suspect was allegedly carrying a silver handgun during the incident.  The suspect left the store on foot, police said.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20130913/police-search-for-masked-suspect-after-robbery-at-7-eleven

Coventry Mall Kohl’s Security Officer Arrested For Assaulting Photographer

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NORTH COVENTRY TOWNSHIP, PA — Police have charged a woman working as a loss prevention officer for Kohl’s at the Coventry Mall with assault of a local photographer.

Sarah Roller, 36, from Collegeville, reported she saw a man in his vehicle taking video of “police and her activity” while she was helping search for a suspect in a retail theft from Boscov’s, police said.

Roller is accused of approaching the photographer, Tom Kelly III, and attempted to take his camera “by force.”  Kelly is a former Mercury staff photographer and frequently does work as a free-lancer for The Mercury and its related websites.

“During the struggle over the camera, the victim was struck in the face,” the report said.  “He sustained an injury to his eye and is also being treated for neck and shoulder pain.”

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130909/NEWS01/130909490/coventry-mall-kohl-s-security-officer-arrested-for-assaulting-photographer#full_story

North Coventry Seeks Court Approval To Build On Preserved Land

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NORTH COVENTRY — Township supervisors have petitioned Chester County Court for permission to build a new police and public works building on land originally deeded as open space.

A hearing has been scheduled on Oct. 22 at 9:30 a.m. at the Chester County Justice Center to determine whether the township can use 12 acres of a 22-acre tract located along Route 100, just south of Town Square Plaza for a municipal services building.

Township officials believe the land is well-suited for both the police department and the road crew because of its proximity to Route 100, and because it is situated near the township’s population center.  What’s more, since it is already in the township’s possession, using that land saves taxpayers the cost of purchasing property for a much needed municipal building.

However, at least one township resident has come out staunchly against constructing a municipal facility on land set aside as open space.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130815/NEWS01/130819634/north-coventry-seeks-court-approval-to-build-on-preserved-land#full_story

(UPDATE) Police Chase Shoplifting Suspect Through North Coventry (video)

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NORTH COVENTRY — A 19-year-old suspected of stealing from the Kohl’s in the Coventry Mall eluded police for just about 20 minutes before his capture in woods near the Route 100 overpass over River Road Thursday afternoon.

After 2:30 p.m., police were called to track down the young man who allegedly took some items from the store and ran on foot.

Originally, the suspect was described as having dark-colored pants and a white shirt, but as the pursuit evolved, witnesses said he took the shirt on and off.

The suspect, who police have not yet named, was eventually captured by several police officers from North Coventry, West Pottsgrove and Pottstown in the woods down the embankment from Route 100 on the 300 block of River Road.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130815/NEWS01/130819550/(update)-police-chase-shoplifting-suspect-through-north-coventry-(video)#full_story

Chesco D.A.: Norco Murder Scene Was ‘Doorway Into Hell’

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WEST CHESTER — Two weeks after the grisly discovery of a body inside a burning North Coventry apartment, authorities announced an arrest in the murder of 17-year-old Kevin Allen.

Shakeem Carter, 20, of Norristown, was arraigned Wednesday morning after an investigation concluded he was responsible for the brutal stabbing death of the Norristown High School student inside his father’s home at the Hanover Garden Apartments, officials said.

Allen’s body was discovered on Feb. 12 after a neighbor dialed 911 to report a “terrible struggle,” according to Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan, who announced Carter’s arrest at a Wednesday morning new conference.

Officers from the North Coventry Police Department were the first to enter the apartment, but they had to retreat when they discovered the apartment was on fire.  Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames, but when they returned, they told police there was a body inside.

Read more:

http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130228/NEWS01/130229413/chesco-d-a–norco-murder-scene-was-doorway-into-hell-(video)?nstrack=sid:387506|met:300|cat:0|order:2#full_story\

North Coventry Homicide: Chester County D.A. Says Investigators ‘Going All Out’

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NORTH COVENTRY — The Chester County Detectives and the North Coventry Police continued Friday investigating the murder of Kevin Allen, 17, of Norristown.

“The investigation is going all out,” Thomas P. Hogan, Chester Country district attorney, said Friday.

An autopsy on Allen’s body was preformed Wednesday night, but the cause of death is not being released, Hogan said.

Allen was found dead at his father’s burning apartment on Tuesday Feb.12, at Hanover Garden Apartments in the 200 block of East Schuylkill Road after a neighbor called the fire department.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130216/NEWS01/130219570/north-coventry-homicide-chester-county-d-a-says-investigators-going-all-out-#full_story

Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Course

North Coventry Police Department is hosting a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Course being offered from Tuesday March 6 – Friday March 9, 2012 at North Coventry Fire Department in Pottstown, PA. The class will run from 8:30 am – 5:30 pm each day. The cost to participants is $75.00.

Anyone interested in attending will have to log onto www.cert.safekids.org  to register to attend. Interested parties will have to complete a profile in order to register. 

Once you have completed your profile on the website you will be allowed to register to attend this course. The course ID #PA201112191065, if you have any questions please contact Ofc. Machese from North Coventry Police Department at vmachese@norcopd.org or Y’vette Gayle from PA Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics at ygayle@paaap.org.