Fuel oil theft in Schuylkill County

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An Orwigsburg man and a Slatington woman have been charged with stealing fuel oil from a West Penn Township property.

Scott M. Albert, 28, of Orwigsburg, and Tara N. Frye, 31, of Slatington, were charged after police investigated a report of an Oct. 17 burglary at a property at 3114 Summer Valley Road near Snyders.

Albert and Frye each face felony counts of burglary, criminal trespass and conspiracy along with misdemeanor charges of theft, possession of an instrument of crime and intentional possession of a controlled substance. They were charged by West Penn Police Chief James E. Bonner.

Police said a garden hose had been used to siphon oil from a tank into 55-gallon drums, which were removed from the property using a pickup truck.

Investigators said Albert told police that he was instructed by his cousin to go to the house, which apparently was unoccupied, and remove the drums of oil from the garage. Albert said that he had driven to the house with Frye in his father’s truck.

Frye told police that Albert had a bag with methamphetamine in it. Police found it under the front seat, and inside it was a crystal rock-like substance that later field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Albert denied possessing the methamphetamine and said it was Frye’s.

Albert was found to have three bench warrants as well as a suspended driver’s license for a DUI charge, Bonner said.

Frye, who was interrogated by Bonner, said that she had gone to the home with Albert to retrieve the oil. She denied possessing the methamphetamine and blamed Albert.

The defendants were arraigned the day of their arrests by Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker, Shenandoah, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison. Frye was released two days later after posting $50,000 bail, while Albert remains jailed on $75,000 bail, according to online court records.