The following press release and photo comes from Limerick Township Police Chief Bill Albany:

The Limerick Township Police Department, with assistance of the Pennsylvania State Police – Skippack barracks, arrested Jacob Mooney for a THEFT f/VEHICLE. An alert employee observed Mooney removing items from an unlocked vehicle at the Spring Valley YMCA, 19 W Linfield Trappe Rd, Royersford, Limerick Township, on December 1, 2011, at approximately 1341 hrs. The employee knew this vehicle to belong to someone else and confirmed Mooney did not have permission to be within, or take things from, the vehicle. Mooney fled when confronted by the employee and vehicle owner. He was using a gray Hyundai Elantra, PA registration EBB1428.

Investigation revealed Mooney committed a theft from vehicle in the Metroplex shopping center in Plymouth the same day. He used a credit card stolen in that theft to purchase Visa gift cards from the Target in Plymouth. Those gift cards were later used for purchases at the Chick-fil-A and Kohl’s Department store in Royersford. Police found Mooney when he returned to his home.

Mooney admitted to thefts from vehicles in a number of local jurisdictions. The Limerick Township Police Department is working with those departments to identify additional victims of Mooney’s criminal activity and return recovered property.

Mooney was charged with the theft. His bail was set at $10,000 cash by Judge Gadzicki, District Court 38-1-19. Mooney was also charged with violating his probation. He is currently lodged at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. A preliminary hearing on the matter is scheduled for Monday, December 12, 2011, at 1:00 pm before Judge Gadzicki.

The Limerick Township Police Department would like to remind people to take every precaution to avoid being victimized by locking and removing valuables from their vehicles.