SEPTA employee charged with stealing $638K in parts
NORRISTOWN >> A SEPTA employee has been charged with stealing $638,000 in parts from various SEPTA locations and selling it for scrap.
Kyle Reece Allen, 28, formerly of Langhorne, was arrested and charged Thursday with burglary, dealing in proceeds of illegal activities, criminal trespass, theft and receiving stolen property, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele announced Thursday.
“The defendant’s actions unfortunately impact all of us who ride SEPTA. This is a huge loss for SEPTA and for what — the defendant only received pennies on the dollar from the scrap yard. He is now incarcerated and faces substantial jail time for his actions,” Steele said in a press release.
The investigation began when employees of the SEPTA Frontier Division on Alan Wood Road in Plymouth Township contacted police about a burglary May 11, according to the criminal complaint. The manager of the property had been monitoring batteries stored at the site, since within the previous week a total of 82 batteries had gone missing. The manager found that 10 batteries had gone missing between 4:30 and 5:30 a.m.
The manager said he recognized a man he saw driving on the property shortly before he discovered the missing batteries, and identified him as Allen, according to the criminal complaint.
He knew Allen from the time they worked together at a different property but knew Allen had no reason to be at that depot.
During a further investigation, police discovered that Allen had made multiple transactions with Philadelphia Metal and Resource Recovery, starting in January 2015, the complaint said.
Allen had sold nearly $7,000 in brass, wire, copper, bronze and stainless steel. The complaint said the items were sold at a fraction of their actual value.
Allen also sold more than 500 new and scrap batteries to the scrap company, also getting far less than their value to SEPTA, the complaint said.
Investigators placed Allen under surveillance and was observed taking copper wire, electronic components, bronze wire holders, brass fittings tools and other items from Midvale Depot in Philadelphia, the complaint said. He was taken into custody just outside the depot.
Allen allegedly stole from SEPTA properties in Plymouth Township, Upper Darby and Philadelphia. Investigators from Montgomery, Delaware and Philadelphia counties, as well as Plymouth Township police and SEPTA transit police, assisted in the investigation.
“The thorough investigation into the thefts of well over a half-million dollars in SEPTA equipment is just another example of the great collaborative efforts of law enforcement in our region,” Steele said. “This close working relationship within our law enforcement community ensures that criminal will be brought to justice.”
In all, Allen allegedly stole 260 catalytic convertors, valued at $1,720 each; 547 batteries valued at $125 each; approximately $35,000 in assorted wire and more than $50,000 in electrical components, according to the complaint.
Allen was arraigned before District Judge Francis Bernhardt and remanded to Montgomery County jail after failing to post $75,000 bail. The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Mark Antonacio, captain of the Economic Crimes Unit.