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NORRISTOWN — A Philadelphia man and a Norristown woman were sentenced for their roles in the theft of copper piping from a vacant Pottstown residence.
Francisco Mark Rubio Jr., 33, of the 4100 block of North Fifth Street, Philadelphia, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 11½ to 23 months in the county jail after he pleaded guilty to a felony burglary charge in connection with the June 2022 incident at a West Street residence in Pottstown.
Judge Steven T. O’Neill, who accepted a plea agreement in the matter, also ordered Rubio to complete three years’ probation following parole, meaning Rubio will be under court supervision for about five years.
Michelle Lee Myers, 40, of the 700 block of Sandy Street, Norristown, was sentenced to 21 days already served to 12 months in jail after she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of receiving stolen property in connection with the incident. More serious charges of burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary were dismissed against Myers as part of the plea agreement accepted by Judge Wendy G. Rothstein.
The judges ordered Rubio and Myers to “stay away” from the Pottstown residence that they targeted for the crime.
The investigation began on June 7, 2022, when Pottstown police responded to a home in the 500 block of West Street for a reported burglary. A witness told police that two people were observed entering the residence and removing copper piping, according to the criminal complaint filed by Pottstown Police Officer Edward Nitka.
The investigation determined the residence had not been occupied for about two years.
The witness told police the subjects, subsequently identified as Rubio and Myers, arrived in a Dodge Ram vehicle, parked in the driveway and entered the residence at the rear of the property. After loading the copper pipe into the rear of the pickup truck, Rubio and Myers left the area.
Investigators said they found a broken window at the rear of the property.
Upon entering the basement, officers observed the ceiling was pulled down and found evidence that copper pipes had recently been cut, according to court papers.
“I did observe that copper pipe that was attached to the hot water heater was also removed,” Nitka wrote in the arrest affidavit.
A short time later, police tracked the pickup truck occupied by Rubio and Myers to a Keystone Boulevard business that purchases scrap metal.
“Copper pipe partially covered by a tarp was located in the rear cargo area of the vehicle,” Nitka alleged.
When questioned by police, Myers admitted to being at the West Street residence, which she claimed was owned by her relative.
Stainless Steel U Channel Police said the investigation determined the property was foreclosed and a mortgage company was responsible for the property and its contents.