Police: Man broke into, damaged cell tower equipment in Turkey Run
TURKEY RUN – A Turkey Run man is in Schuylkill County Prison facing felony burglary charges after borough police said he broke into cell tower equipment twice this week.
Joshua Drumheller, 42, of 226 Furnace Street, was charged by Shenandoah Borough Police Wednesday with several felony counts of burglary, criminal trespass, and criminal mischief.
According to the criminal complaints filed by Patrolman Leo Luciani, Jr., the first burglary happened around 3am Monday at the Verizon cellular site at 300 Furnace Street in the Turkey Run section of Shenandoah.
There, the telecommunications giant has equipment mounted on the Turkey Run water tower. Associated equipment is located nearby, contained within a chain link fence perimeter.
Drumheller, police said, was seen on surveillance video breaching that perimeter with a pair of bolt cutters.
Once inside, he used the same bolt cutters and other tools to break into an equipment cabinet. He disconnected several cables inside and “deposited a substance upon several of the switches and other equipment in the cabinet.”
He then left the scene.
Police recognized the man on the surveillance video as Drumheller, who lives near the water tower.
A Verizon engineer told police that what Drumheller did could have knocked out cell service in the area.
Two days later, around 4am Wednesday, Drumheller was again seen on surveillance video, police said, breaking into the fenced perimeter and breaking into an equipment cabinet.
He was seen and arrested at his home around 9:30am Wednesday.
He was arraigned on felony burglary, criminal trespass, and criminal mischief charges and committed to Schuylkill County Prison, unable to post $25,000 bail.
A preliminary hearing is set for August 1 before Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker
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