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Two Arrested After Retail Theft and Police PursuitDetails Map On Thursday October 17th, 2024 at approximately 2:40pm. Officers of The Pocono Township Police Department were dispatched to a retail theft at The Tommy Hilfiger Outlet in The Crossings. The employee who had called had given a description of the actor and his direction of travel. While searching the parking lot, a citizen approached an officer and reported a suspicious male next to his vehicle that had fled in a blue Mercedes. The description of the suspicious male matched the description given by the store employee.
Other officers searching the parking lot were informed of the vehicle description and encountered it attempting to leave the shopping complex. Officers attempted to stop the suspect vehicle, but it quickly reversed striking a marked police vehicle. The suspect then put the vehicle in drive and struck another police vehicle head on.
Officers pursued the suspect vehicle as it exited the shopping complex and attempted to get onto Interstate 80 westbound. The suspect vehicle then made a u-turn striking a marked Police vehicle for a third time. The suspect vehicle then turned onto Route 715 south before getting onto Interstate 80 eastbound. Officers pursued the vehicle onto the Interstate where they were assisted by The Pennsylvania State Police. A tire deflation device was successfully deployed near the North 9th Street exit deflating both front tires. The suspect vehicle then drove through the grass of the exit, coming to a stop on the North 9th Street ramp. Two hispanic males then fled the vehicle, ran down into a ravine, across Pocono Creek. One suspect, Juan Munoz-Meneses, who later admitted to being the driver of the vehicle was taken into custody by Pennsylvania State Police while the second suspect fled onto Tanite RD in Stroudsburg. . The second suspect, Nicolas Vargas Duran, was captured some time later after hiding under a tarp in a neighboring back yard. During the search Pocono Township Police were assisted by Pennsylvania State Troopers and their drone division, Pocono Mountain Regional Police K-9 unit, officers from Stroud Area Regional Police, and deputies from The Monroe County Sheriff's Office.
Munoz-Meneses was charged with two counts of Felony aggravated assault, Misdemeanors fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, evading arrest or detention on foot, retail theft, receiving stolen property, accidents involving damage to attended vehicle, 3 counts of recklessly endangering another person, and Summaries reckless driving, careless driving, and obedience to traffic control devices. Munoz-Menese was arraigned by District Magistrate Phil Riley and placed in The Monroe County Correctional Facility on $75,000 secured bail.
Vargas-Duran was charged with Misdemeanors evading arrest or detention on foot, retail theft, and receiving stolen property. He was also arraigned by Magistrate Riley and placed in the correctional facility on $40,000 secured bail.
Special thanks to The Pennsylvania State Police, Pocono Mountain Regional Police, Stroud Area Regional Police, The Monroe County Sheriff's Office, as well as The Monroe County Communications Center for their assistance. No civilians, suspects, or officers were injured during this incident.
Location
Tannersville, PA 18372
Date
Oct 21, 2024
Incident Type
Shoplifting
Case Status
Closed
Case Type
Criminal
Case Region
Northeastern
Created Oct 21st, 2024
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