Man Stole Kegs from Lower Saucon Tavern, Police Say

Lower Saucon Township Police said in a news release Thursday that a North Catasauqua man has been charged with theft, after he was allegedly caught stealing empty beer kegs from Taps Tavern, 3731 Rt. 378, early Sunday morning.

Police said Todd Smale, 55, of the 1100 block of Eighth Street, was allegedly observed by the business’s owner putting two beer kegs in the trunk of a red Chevy sedan that was backed up to the back of the building shortly before 9 a.m.

Smale then took off, police said, but not before the owner, Andrew Lee–who was nearby–was able to get a good look at him and his vehicle as well as its registration.

Police said the registration number was used to trace the vehicle to Smale, who was also identified by Lee in a photograph. They said he is also a suspect in the theft of kegs from the same location in 2005 and 2006.

At that time the restaurant was Starters Pub and under different ownership.

“From that time period, multiple jurisdictions (have) combined charges of 46 counts of theft of kegs,” police said.