By JOHN M. HOOBER III, Staff
Once again, thieves have their eyes on money left in cash boxes at Lancaster County roadside stands and small businesses.
Late last week, thieves grabbed $70 from a fruit stand on Route 23 at Goodville and $100 from a crafts store near Intercourse in Leacock Township.
And in downtown Lancaster, a burglar broke into the Heritage Museum, 5 W. King St., late Monday night and stole a small amount of money from a donation box, police said.
East Earl Township police are investigating a theft of cash from a fruit stand in the 1600 block of Main Street (Route 23) in Goodville.
The family that operates the stand discovered the cash box was missing on Friday morning, East Earl Police Chief Kevin McCarthy said.
"They (thieves) cut the screen, reached in through the window, and took the whole box," said McCarthy.
The theft happened sometime after 7 p.m. Thursday. The loss was $70, McCarthy said.
Lancaster state police are investigating a theft at Centerville Crafts, 333 Centerville Road, Gordonville, which is north of Intercourse.
A man pulled up to the Leacock Township store at about 11 a.m. Saturday, stole $100 from a cash box and drove away in a gray pickup truck, Trooper William Colvin said.
The money belonged to Jonas S. King, police said. The suspect was a heavy-set white male, about 50 years old, approximately 5-foot-10 with brown hair.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Lancaster state police at 299-7650 or Lancaster City/County CrimeStoppers at 1-800-322-1913.
An alarm sent Lancaster police rushing to the Heritage Center, 5 W. King St., at 11:47 p.m. Monday.
An unknown burglar broke a first-floor window on the Market Street side of the building, climbed up stairs and smashed open a plastic donation box, said Peter Seibert, president of the Heritage Center.
The suspect grabbed $5 from the box, raced downstairs and out of the building as the alarm sounded, Seibert.
Damage was minimal, as the intruder had no time to get to the displays.
"They just left me with a mess," said Seibert.
Thieves also have been active in the Schoeneck area of West Cocalico Township, according to East Cocalico Township police who patrol the area.
In recent days:
• Two satellite radios and a GPS navigational system were stolen from two unlocked vehicles in the first block of South King Street in Schoeneck. The loss was $500.
• A $50 cell phone and other property were stolen from two unlocked vehicles in the 200 block of North King Street at Schoeneck.
An iPod, iPod accessories, and a camcorder were stolen from a vehicle in the area of Swamp Bridge Road and Cherry Alley at Schoeneck. The loss was $620.
East Cocalico Township police also are investigating:
• Theft of a $250 MP player, CD holder and change holder from an unlocked vehicle in the first block of Cardinal Drive, Stevens, which is in the Reamstown area of East Cocalico Township.
• Theft of 23 welding leads, valued at $8,050, from the MGS Inc. firm, 178 Muddy Creek Church Road, Denver.
Staff writer John M. Hoober III can be reached at jhoober@LNPnews.com or 481-6027.
(571)
