A Schuylkill Haven man is in Schuylkill County Prison for stealing a marked police vehicle from the Schuylkill Haven Borough Police Department and driving it over 90 miles to Delaware, where he was arrested.
Richard Weiss, 49, of Schuylkill Haven, was taken into custody on the morning of Monday, April 14 after authorities say he stole a white 2021 Ford F-150 police truck belonging to Schuylkill Haven Police Department, which contained a loaded police-issued shotgun. He was apprehended hours later in Wilmington, Delaware.
According to court documents and a report by Police Officer Kenneth Jacoby, Weiss appeared at the police station around 2:18 a.m. on Sunday to turn himself in on a warrant that did not exist. Dressed in a blue shirt, gray shorts, a camouflage bandana, and wearing only socks on his feet, Weiss was asked to leave after officers confirmed there were no active warrants for his arrest.
However, just over 30 minutes later, surveillance footage showed Weiss returning to the police station’s parking lot, where he allegedly entered the parked and idling police vehicle — Unit #155 — and drove off.
Officer Jacoby, who was inside the station completing reports, was alerted around 3:38 a.m. when county dispatch inquired about the vehicle’s whereabouts. A check of the security footage confirmed the theft, and a BOLO (Be On the Lookout) was issued shortly afterward.
Weiss's unusual journey took a bizarre turn when he reportedly stopped at a WaWa in Leesport, Berks County, where he entered the convenience store, went behind the counter, and attempted to take cigarettes and candy. When confronted by staff, Weiss allegedly claimed to be an off-duty police officer and pointed to the stolen SHPD truck parked outside. He fled the scene when employees contacted police.
Despite limited security footage at the WaWa, investigators were able to track the vehicle via license plate recognition systems. The stolen vehicle’s last known location in Pennsylvania was near the intersection of Route 12 and Route 73, according to Berks County Dispatch.
The trail finally ended in Wilmington, Delaware, where officers with the Amtrak Police Department stopped Weiss and recovered the vehicle around 6:07 a.m. on April 14. Inside the truck was a SHPD-issued Benelli M4 Tactical 12-gauge shotgun, which authorities said was not tampered with.
Weiss was transported back to Schuylkill County and arraigned on Tuesday, April 15 before Magisterial District Judge David Plachko. He was charged with multiple felonies, including:
- Theft by unlawful taking of a motor vehicle (F2)
- Receiving stolen property (F2, F3)
- Theft of a firearm (F3)
- Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle (M2)
Bail was set at $75,000 straight cash, which Weiss was unable to post. He is currently being held in Schuylkill County Prison.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 29, 2025, before Magisterial District Judge Andrew J. Serina.