Crime & Safety

Crazy Chases, Alleged Staged Mugging Top Weird Crime News

Also, when police give you a warning, you should probably listen.

Each week, Patch combs through the more shocking, surprising and often absurd alleged criminal acts and police-related incidents that unfold around the region. Here’s what went on last week for “OMG PD.”

It’s called a warning for a reason: You can’t say Collingswood officers didn’t try. When Sharon Powers, 32, of Berlin, was pulled over for allegedly driving without a license and without working brake lights, police gave her a warning and told her to get a licensed driver to take care of the car. Not only did she not listen, she got pulled over again 20 minutes later, when she still didn’t have a license or working brake lights—but did have 10 bags of heroin, according to police.

Alleged burglary-turned-footrace: A resident on Turner Avenue in Haddonfield took off after a man in a brown jacket he told police had broken into his car—but the alleged burglar was also a bit of a track star, and disappeared from sight as he ran toward Haddon Township, police said.

Find out what's happening in Haddonfield-Haddon Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Speaking of chases: A convicted felon who had been on the run from the law for eight months spent two hours leading police on a chase around Woodbury, running through a pizzeria, hiding in the trunk of a car and ducking into an apartment—and assaulting a couple of officers on the way. He ended up with six charges on top of those for violating the terms of his early release.

Paging Captain Hook, please pick up the white courtesy phone: Is there a more appropriate place for than from a house on Treasure Lane? West Deptford Police don't believe it wasn’t pirates, though—the home’s housekeeper was the person of interest, police said.

Find out what's happening in Haddonfield-Haddon Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A not-so-perfect scheme: An early-morning pepper-spray mugging was anything but a random incident, Collingswood Police said. Joseph Ellis, 28, and Eli Torres, 18, concocted a plan to stage the attack to rob an acquaintance, police said, figuring they were safe if Torres robbed both the intended victim and Ellis at the same time. It didn't end up working out exactly as they planned—Ellis is charged with conspiracy, and Torres was charged with first-degree robbery, among other charges.

Next time, try a thank-you card: Mount Laurel Police officers gave a township resident a lift home after he was allegedly drunk and causing a scene at a gas station, but when they got to his door, things got ugly. , police said, leading to charges of aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and driving while intoxicated.

From bad to worse: A Sicklerville teen who was involved in a car accident in Moorestown opted to give officers false information at the scene, police said. Cory Liebold, 18, was trying to trying to throw off officers to the fact he was wanted on several warrants, police said, and ended up being charged with obstruction.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.