Man Stole Lock Box by Hiding It in Purse, Police Say

A Hellertown man is facing retail theft and other charges, after police say he stole a lock box from the CVS store on Main Street by allegedly concealing it inside a large purse.

In a criminal complaint filed in Northampton County District Court, Cpl. John Donato of the Hellertown Police Department said he responded to a report of a retail theft in progress at the store shortly before 8 p.m. on Aug. 28.

Upon arriving at the CVS, Donato said he met with employees who told him they had observed “a male in pink shorts, with a black purse, placing items in the purse.”

One of the items, according to the criminal complaint, was a black lock box.

Donato said the employees identified the man as Jason S. Rodenbach Jr., 21, and that he is someone with whom he was already “familiar.”

After leaving the store, Donato said he located Rodenbach in a blue 2009 Nissan Rogue less than a block away on Washington Street.

At that time he said he recovered the lock box, “which was in plain view in the front seat area of (Rodenbach’s) vehicle.”

Rodenbach was then taken into custody on charges of retail theft and receiving stolen property, he said.

The criminal complaint says further investigation by Donato found Rodenbach to be in possession of a counterfeit $20 bill, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, stolen wax strips and a stolen bracelet.

According to court records and a police department news release, in addition to retail theft and receiving stolen property Rodenbach is charged with felony forgery as well as three counts of possession of a controlled substance, three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of an instrument of crime with intent. Other than the forgery charge and the retail theft charge–which is graded as a summary offense–all of the charges filed against Rodenbach are misdemeanors.

Records state that following a preliminary arraignment before District Judge Daniel Corpora on the morning of Aug. 29, Rodenbach was committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of 10 percent of $10,000 bail.

A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled to be held before District Judge Alan Mege on Friday, Sept. 11 at 9 a.m. in District Court 03-2-04 in Lower Saucon Township.

Note: Individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using information from police and court documents.