Alleged Christmas Package Thief Nabbed by Upper Gwynedd, Lansdale, Montgomery K9 Police

A Worcester Township man was nabbed by a team effort of Upper Gwynedd Police, Lansdale Police and Montgomery Township K9 Wednesday afternoon after he allegedly stole packages from residences at The Villages at Gwynedd, fled the area and was later caught by Montgomery Township K9 hiding in bushes on Jackson Street in Upper Gwynedd.
Patrick Gragg, 20, of the 2200 block of Warner Road, was processed and released by police, according to Sgt. John Brinkmann of Upper Gwynedd Police. Brinkmann said a charge of theft by unlawful taking is pending against Gragg.
"The monetary value (of items stolen) didn't arise to the level that an arraignment was called for," Brinkmann said.
According to Brinkmann, police received a report around 3:40 p.m. Wednesday of a suspicious male seen walking up and down residents' front walkways to their doors in the neighborhood off Broad Street near Allentown Road in Upper Gwynedd.
"He had been seen picking up packages and shaking them," alleges Brinkmann.
Brinkmann, along with Detective Raymond Royds and Officer William Moriarty, arrived at the scene and allegedly spotted Gragg walking away from one residence with a package in his hand.
"He had nothing in his hand when he walked up. It was clear he was taking from there," alleges Brinkmann.
Marty Koebert, a resident of the development, told Montgomeryville-Lansdale Patch that Gragg allegedly committed the thefts as children were getting off school buses, and allegedly witnessed Gragg doing door-to-door along Bradford Lane, checking out recently-delivered packages and allegedly helping himself. 
"He even had the guts to knock on doors and converse with residents," alleges Koebert. "Concerned neighbors witnessed these events and worked as a team to help the Upper Gwynedd Police capture the alleged thief after a foot chase began."
Police said Gragg eventually got into a verbal confrontation with a group of women who had allegedly seen Gragg commit the thefts. Police said the women called 911 and let police know Gragg's location.
"We were watching this go down," Brinkmann said.
Royds, in plainclothes, then approached Gragg and intervened for the safety of the women.
At that time, Gragg allegedly fled the area and was chased by Royds, Brinkmann said.
They lost Gragg in the area of the 800 block of Jackson Street, police said. Montgomery Township Officer Daniel Rose and K9 Duke responded to the scene to assist in the search. Meanwhile, Lansdale Police set up a perimeter.
Gragg was allegedly located hiding in the bushes in front of 849 Jackson Street, Brinkmann said.
Gragg allegedly stole $165 worth of items from three residences in the development, he said.
"As far as we know, there were no reports of anybody else missing anything that they were expecting in the mail," Brinkmann said. "It was limited to that incident."
Brinkmann applauded the response of Lansdale and Montgomery Township police in the apprehension of Gragg. 
Koebert believed the real hero was K9 Duke from Montgomery Township, who found Gragg allegedly hiding in the bushes about an hour after the pursuit.
"Kudos to the Upper Gwynedd, Lansdale and Montgomery Township police departments," Koebert said. "(It was a) job very well done, in a time when people tend to make the local police the bad guys."
The media has reported a nationwide rise in theft of Christmas gifts this year, and Brinkmann said he has not heard of the crime being prevalent in the area until this year.
"I don't recall it ever being an issue in our township," he said.
Koebert said people in the area would love to know that neighbors still look out for one another.
"Even when endangering themselves potentially," he said. "The police are here to help us."