August 25, 2016
Courtesy of the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office /for PhillyVoice
Kyle Reece Allen, a SEPTA employee, has been charged with burglary and related offenses after, allegedly, stealing more than $638,000 in train parts.
A SEPTA employee allegedly stole more than $638,000 in SEPTA train parts and sold them for scrap at a fraction of their value, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office announced on Thursday.
Kyle Reece Allen, 28, of Langhorne, Bucks County, has been charged with felony burglary, criminal trespass, theft by unlawful taking, and related offenses for allegedly breaking in to six different SEPTA properties and stealing train parts that he then sold to scrapyards, according to a release from Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele.
An investigation into theft from a SEPTA yard in Plymouth Township, Montgomery County, revealed Allen's alleged crimes stretched back to January 2015, law enforcement officials said.
Investigators alleged Allen stole at least 500 batteries, 260 catalytic converters, 100 spools of wire along with a variety of parts specific to SEPTA's El trains.
Police said they began their investigation into Allen following a theft on May 11 at SEPTA's Frontier Division facility at Allen Wood Road in Plymouth Township.
A manager at that facility reportedly told police on the day of the theft, he saw Allen — who had no reason to be at the facility — driving through the parking lot and hiding his face when the manager spotted him.
After he saw Allen leaving the site, police said., the manager discovered the theft of 10 batteries.
"The defendant's actions unfortunately impact all of us who ride SEPTA," Steele said in a statement. "This is a huge loss for SEPTA and for what? The defendant only received pennies on the dollar from the scrapyard."
According to law enforcement officials, the six SEPTA facilities Allen allegedly targeted were the Frontier Division facility in Plymouth Township; the 69th Street Transportation Center and Victory Depot, both in Upper Darby; and the Midvale, Comly and Callowhill depots, all in Philadelphia.
Allen is in police custody on $75,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 8.
