A Pottsville duo has been charged with stealing catalytic converters, an act they’ve been committing for over 20 years, according to police.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Detective David Roberts of the Franklin Township Police Department in the case against Stephanie Keck and Daniel Hall:

At 4:43 p.m. Aug. 10, 2022, the Carbon County Action Committee reported the theft of catalytic converters from both Ford F450 box trucks located on Interchange Road.

Roberts obtained surveillance footage which showed a vehicle pulling into the parking area on Interchange Road and turning off its lights.

A man was seen a short time later walking along the wood line to the area of the first vehicle carrying the same type of bag, and then walking away from the second vehicle carrying the same type bag, but it appeared to be much heavier. The man then flashed a flashlight repeatedly. The suspect vehicle approached and a woman identified to be Keck, 45, entered the vehicle (off camera) before the vehicle is seen traveling northbound on Route 209.

Invoices dated Aug. 11, 2022 from Frank’s Service Center/RLE Pocono provided a cost of $2,295 to repair each vehicle, with a total loss of $4,590.

On Aug. 12, 2022, Roberts was in contact with Nesquehoning Borough Police Department, who had observed a vehicle matching the photo in the area of the 200 block of East Catawissa Street.

On Aug. 19, a 2022 a 2005 Workhorse panel style truck was observed operating in Lehighton and stopped for traffic violations. Hall, 58, was operating the vehicle and Keck was a passenger. The vehicle was impounded and secured for traffic violations. That day, Pennsylvania state police obtained a search warrant for the 2005 Workhorse panel truck.

Located in the vehicle were multiple receipts from “Brenner Recycling” of the 200 block of S. Wyoming Street, Hazleton, with the named customer being Hall. The receipts were dated July 26, 2022, Aug. 9, 2022, and Aug. 15, 2022 and showed a total of five catalytic converters being sold by Hall for a total of $1,737 being paid out.

In the rear cargo area, a green duffel bag was located that strongly resembled the duffel bag being carried by the man in the video, contained a catalytic converter that had been cut from a vehicle, and also contained a double battery Makita reciprocating saw. The catalytic converter was of the same model that would fit a 2010 Ford E450 truck. Additional reciprocating saw cutting devices and blades were seized from the cargo area of the vehicle as well.

On Jan. 11, police interviewed Keck at the Schuylkill County jail. she said she and Hall had been stealing and selling catalytic converters since the early 2000s.

Keck admitted to the thefts at the Carbon County Action Committee building, and that she operated the box truck while Hall removed the catalytic converters.

Both faces charges on two counts each of theft by unlawful taking, criminal conspiracy, theft of secondary metal, receiving stolen property, criminal conspiracy; and one count of possessing instrument of crime.

Both are incarcerated in the Carbon County Correctional Facility, Keck in lieu of $7,500 monetary bail, and Hall in lieu of $5,000 monetary bail, and are scheduled to have preliminary hearings March 13 before District Judge William J. Kissner of Palmerton.