Couple charged with damaging over 60 parking meters in Monessen
An area couple is facing criminal charges for allegedly causing upward of $13,000 in damage to parking meters in Monessen.
Police said Samantha L. Walters, 27, of Johnstown and Randy W. Kimmel Jr., 30, of Donora either drilled into the locks or removed the heads of 67 meters between Nov. 17 and Dec. 5. Authorities said the change cans in the meters was missing.
Each faces 134 total counts of criminal mischief and criminal conspiracy to commit criminal mischief.
Surveillance video of the downtown area showed a man with an object in his hand damaging the parking meters while the woman with him was a lookout for him, court paperwork noted. Police were able to identify both Kimmel and his girlfriend, Walters, from the video.
Police said they encountered Kimmel on Dec. 23 when they were called to a gas station for a report of a suspicious man, and when they approached him, he gave officers permission to search his backpack.
In it, police said they found five flat-head screwdrivers, one pair of small vice grips, two one-liter bottles of soda, $39.50 in quarters, one dime, three nickels, four lighters, a blue bag containing one suspected crack pipe, a clear plastic baggie containing suspected crack cocaine, a key to a Toyota vehicle and a blue cigarette case containing self-rolled cigarettes.
When officers asked about the contents of the bag, Kimmel reportedly said he used the screwdrivers to fix his bike and got the change from his piggy bank. Kimmel reportedly told police his vehicle was at his mother’s home in Charleroi, prompting police there to contact her.
Authorities said she let them search the vehicle and they found three metal leafs, two metal internal locks, four screwdrivers, two walkie-talkies, a pair of pliers and bolt cutters, two crowbars, one jack, one tire iron, a tool for the metal jack, two metal filings and one quarter.
When Kimmel was asked about the locks, he said he had to break into his locker at work, according to court paperwork.
Police said they went to one of the meters where the internal lock fell out, and it matched the lock found inside the car.
Both Charleroi and Monongahela police confirmed to Monessen police that they’re investigating similar incidents of damage to parking meters.
The total damage to the parking meters totaled $13,400.
Both Kimmel and Walters will be arraigned at a later date.