Man accused of breaking into school buses, stealing seat covers

NEW GARDEN TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Police recently arrested a man for allegedly breaking into several school buses and stealing seat covers, according to a news release from the New Garden Township Police Department.

Police responded to four separate incidents of theft and vandalism, beginning on Aug. 3, at Kennett Middle School. The people who reported the incident said that several school buses had been entered after hours and had their seat covers removed or damaged.

On Aug. 20, at 3:33 a.m., a police officer was conducting a property check in the school bus parking lot area when he observed an unattended vehicle parked next to the school buses, and observed a man he later identified as Matthew Schnelle walking between the buses, according to police.

When contacted by the officer, Schnelle could not provide a reason for being on school property after hours. The police officer saw several seat covers inside Schnelle’s vehicle, which were found to be stolen from two school buses. Police also recovered physical evidence and tools used to enter the buses and steal the covers. Schnelle was arrested and confessed to some of the incidents, according to police.

Police charged Schnelle with 13 counts of theft, 14 counts of receiving stolen property, four counts of institutional vandalism, four counts of criminal trespass and one count of possessing an instrument of crime.