Oct. 26--MAHANOY CITY -- Two New York state residents are in Schuylkill County Prison after being arrested by Mahanoy City police for allegedly trying to steal an impounded vehicle early Sunday morning.

Gerado E. Figueroa, 48, and Julie A. Levinson, 51, who both have no fixed addresses, were arraigned Sunday morning and committed to Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville -- Figueroa in lieu of $25,000 straight cash bail and Levinson with $20,000 straight cash bail.

Patrolman George Parnell charged Figueroa with theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, possessing instruments of crime, criminal conspiracy, loitering and prowling at night, drivers required to be licensed and one-way roadway violations.

Parnell charged Levinson with two counts of criminal conspiracy.

Parnell said that about 3:15 a.m. officers were on patrol in the 100 block of East Railroad Street when a man stopped them, saying a man and woman were arguing the in the area and had just entered a vehicle.

Parnell said officers found a red and white pickup truck with a man in the driver's seat and a woman on the passenger side. The man, Parnell said, could not provide a valid driver's license and was unsure of the owner.

Parnell said further investigation determined the truck did not have a registration plate attached and that the ignition was tampered with so no key was needed to start it.

The owner of the garage where the vehicle was being housed was contacted and came to the location to identify the vehicle.

Thomas Davidson, the owner of the business, said he had previously impounded the truck at the request of Mahanoy City police and that Levinson and Figueroa did not have permission to remove the truck from his lot.

Returning to Davidson's garage, Parnell said police located a brown camouflage backpack that Figueroa later identified as his.

Preliminary hearings for the two will be scheduled at Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker's Shenandoah courtroom.

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Copyright (c) 2009, Republican and Herald, Pottsville, Pa.

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