Man Accused of Stealing $1K in Skill Machine Winnings

A 41-year-old Springfield Township man is accused of stealing $1,000 in winnings that were left on a skill machine by another customer at a Hellertown convenience store earlier this month.

According to the affidavit of probable cause in a criminal complaint filed by police in Northampton County District Court 03-2-04 in Lower Saucon Township, Matthew L. Sheppleman and an associate visited the 7-Eleven store at 1100 Main Street on the morning of Aug. 5.

A Hellertown police officer who later reviewed store security footage said Sheppleman and the other man were observed purchasing snacks before Sheppleman began to play a skill machine near the front of the store.

According to the affidavit, that machine was located next to a machine that had $2,000 in winnings on it “that had been left by a patron” who had been at the store earlier. Police said that man had asked a female witness “to watch the unattended machine while he went to work.”

While Sheppleman played the skill machine, police said he was observed on the security footage leaning over the adjacent machine to “press the play button and then the redeem button on the machine.”

“Sheppleman then plays on his machine for several more minutes before he is seen having a short dialogue (with his companion) and then subsequently cashing out his winnings and $1,000 U.S. currency of redeemed winnings,” it said.

This, according to police, left $1,033 in unclaimed winnings on the machine.

Sheppleman and the other man then reportedly left the store in a gold Honda Civic.

Police said Sheppleman was identified via the surveillance footage and was known to authorities “through previous encounters with police.”

He is charged with a Misdemeanor 1 count of theft of lost property and a Misdemeanor 1 count of receiving stolen property, according to the criminal complaint and court records.

According to the court docket filed in the case, Sheppleman was awaiting a preliminary hearing on the charges as of Friday, Aug. 14.

Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using information provided by police and from Northampton County court records.