A 41-year-old Croydon man is facing felony charges after Bensalem police say he broke into a commercial office building on the 3100 block of Tremont Avenue in the middle of the day to strip copper wiring, bringing his girlfriend’s 11-year-old daughter along to hold a flashlight. Officers say they found him in a rear equipment room and took him into custody without incident. He now faces burglary and corruption-of-minors charges, according to police.
According to a Bensalem Police Department post, officers were called around 12:29 p.m. on May 27 for a reported burglary in progress at the commercial building on Tremont Avenue. Police say a side glass door had been shattered and forced open. After hearing noises from inside, officers went in and found an adult man actively cutting and removing copper wiring. Investigators say they recovered numerous tools and containers already filled with cut wire. The suspect was identified as James Harkless-Dechellis, 41, of Second Avenue in Croydon, who police say admitted entering the building intending to steal copper for resale. District Judge Falcone set his bail at 10 percent of $150,000, and Harkless-Dechellis was taken to the Bucks County Correctional Facility after he was unable to post bond. The department’s detailed account is available through the Bensalem Police Department.
Scene and police response
Local television coverage filled in the on-scene details, reporting that officers found the suspect around 12:30 p.m., along with tools and containers of cut copper wire, then arrested him without any struggle. As reported by NBC10 Philadelphia, investigators say the 11-year-old girl, described as Harkless-Dechellis’s girlfriend’s daughter, was inside the building with him and told to hold a flashlight while he worked.
Charges and legal context
Harkless-Dechellis has been charged with burglary, corruption of minors and related offenses. Under Pennsylvania law, 18 Pa.C.S. § 6301 defines “corruption of minors” to include an adult who “aids, abets, entices or encourages” a person under 18 to commit a crime, and generally classifies that conduct as a first-degree misdemeanor. The full language is available in the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes.
Why copper wiring is targeted
Police and prosecutors note that copper wiring is a perennial target because it can be cut out quickly and sold for cash at scrap yards, while property owners are left holding the bag for repairs. The Philadelphia region has seen some high-dollar copper thefts in recent years. A 2022 case detailed a Croydon man accused of stripping wiring from decommissioned power plants and causing more than $1.5 million in damage, a reminder of how lucrative and destructive these thefts can be, according to PhillyVoice.
Bensalem police credited a fast response and coordinated investigation with the safe arrest of the suspect and preventing further damage to the property, according to the department’s post. Officers are asking anyone who may have information or video related to the incident to contact the Bensalem Township Police Department. The department’s full statement is available through the Bensalem Police Department.
