HUNTINGDON VALLEY, PA — Lower Moreland Township police say a late-night alarm and unsettling noises inside a business complex led to the arrest of a man now facing multiple burglary-related charges after extensive damage left a building uninhabitable.
Police were dispatched Saturday, February 7, to the 2600 block of Philmont Avenue after a caller reported a suspicious person inside the complex. Authorities said the property’s security system had been triggered by motion, and live camera footage showed a subject attempting to cover the camera. The caller also reported hearing unusual sounds, including what resembled an electrical saw.
When officers arrived, they observed a silver Chevrolet Suburban parked behind the building and saw a man exiting through a rear door. Police said the subject ignored verbal commands and ran back inside the structure. Additional officers were called to the scene, and the suspect was eventually taken into custody after exiting the building.
The man was identified as Gary Christ. According to police, he was found in possession of stolen property, and a subsequent investigation uncovered evidence of an alleged attempted theft inside the complex. Officers reported a cut and removed copper sewage pipe, power tools, and significant damage to walls and ceiling tiles.
Lower Moreland Township Code Enforcement later deemed the building uninhabitable due to the extent of the damage, authorities said.
Christ was taken into custody and charged with burglary not adapted for overnight accommodation with no person present, criminal trespass for entering a structure, criminal mischief involving property damage, theft by unlawful taking of movable property, and defiant trespasser for entering a fenced or enclosed area.
The charges stem from allegations outlined by police. As with all criminal cases, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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