Hotopp

Hotopp

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SUGAR NOTCH — A man from Kingston jailed on an alleged probation violation in York County was arraigned Wednesday on charges he stole batteries from school buses.

Sugar Notch police allege Patrick Hotopp, 48, targeted school buses at Chernetski’s Transportation stealing four batteries from school buses on Jan. 27 and then again stealing four batteries on Feb. 3.

Hotopp allegedly scrapped the batteries at scrap yards in the area receiving cash.

Chernetski’s Transportation provides busing for the Hanover Area School District.

Court records say Hotopp is suspected of similar thefts in the region.

According to the criminal complaint:

A representative from Chernetski’s on Jan. 27 reported four batteries were stolen from two school buses.

The company replaced the batteries, valued at $175 each.

Then again on Feb. 3, three batteries were stolen from one of the same buses and one battery was swiped another bus.

One bus had damage as its battery cable was cut.

Similar incidents were reported in Hanover Township, Wilkes-Barre and Wright Township with the suspect possibly driving a blue Hyundai.

Police learned that Hotopp was taken into custody when he attempted to scrap batteries at a scrap yard on North Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilkes-Barre on Feb. 5.

The owner of the scrap yard contacted city police due to suspicions that the batteries Hotopp wanted to scrap were stolen.

City police arrested Hotopp when they discovered he was wanted in York County on alleged parole violation.

Police obtained receipts from the scrap yard and another scrap yard on South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, showing Hotopp was scrapping batteries and receiving cash, the complaint says.

Hotopp, of West Market Street, was arraigned by District Judge Joseph Spagnuolo Jr. in Luzerne County Central Court on eight counts each of theft and receiving stolen property. Bail was set at $20,000 unsecured but he remains jailed on the warrant out of York County.