According to Pottsville Police Chief Richard Wojiechowsky, on Thursday, June 21, 2018, Timothy Mark Mackereth, 29, with a last known address from Philadelphia, was taken into custody and charged by the Pottsville Bureau of Police with the bank robbery committed at M&T Bank, Centre and Norwegian Street, Pottsville on Tuesday 06/19/18.
The
police investigation included tips from a large number of concerned citizens
and contact with many cooperative area businesses to review video surveillance
footage. On Thursday June 21 investigators learned that video from the
Pottsville Republican office in the 100 block of Mahantongo Street had captured
a male matching the physical description of the suspect walking south in the
unit block of South Second St., east in the 100 block of Mahantongo St., and
then south onto the 200 block of South Centre St. However, he was no longer wearing the hat,
sunglasses, or lime green shirt worn at the time of the robbery indicating they
had been discarded immediately after the incident.
During a canvass of the path taken by the suspect Captain Steven Guers found the suspect’s shirt, hat and sunglasses discarded in a garbage can in a breezeway off of the unit block of N. 2nd Street.
Investigators were then able to utilize video
from additional businesses on S. Centre St. that indicated the suspect had continued
to the Union Station in the 300 block of South Centre Street. Schuylkill Transportation System (STS)
cooperation helped police learn that the suspect had purchased a bus ticket
there and boarded a bus to Shenandoah.
Further investigation showed the suspect had used a smart pass to pay
for the ticket which was electronically transmitted and stored, revealing the
biographical information of the card holder as Mackereth.
Utilizing a police database that included
identification photographs investigators confirmed Mackereth was the same
person observed not only at the Union Station bus terminal, but also in the
Pottsville Republican video and M&T Bank video footage.
A criminal complaint was prepared by Det.
Kirk Becker charging Mackereth with Felony Robbery, Theft, Receiving Stolen
Property, and Persistent Disorderly Conduct.
At approximately 6:15pm, on Thursday, Shenandoah Police located Mackereth at 120 N. Ferguson St, apt 3, and took him into custody without incident.
Mackereth was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Reiley who set bail at $100,000 cash and Mackereth was then remanded to the Schuylkill County Prison.
At approximately 6:15pm, on Thursday, Shenandoah Police located Mackereth at 120 N. Ferguson St, apt 3, and took him into custody without incident.
Mackereth was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Reiley who set bail at $100,000 cash and Mackereth was then remanded to the Schuylkill County Prison.
Wojiechowsky said "The Pottsville Bureau of Police is grateful for the fantastic cooperation we received from the area businesses and general public that contributed greatly to the quickness in which we were able to identify, locate and arrest Mackereth."