2 arrested following gun shop burglary in Malvern
MALVERN, Pa. (WPVI) -- Two suspects have been arrested in a gun shop burglary that caused a Malvern school district to increase security on Tuesday.
Investigators said Shane Wolf, 23, and Daniel O'Brien, 22, were taken into custody.
Police said just after 5 a.m. Tuesday morning the two men burst through the glass door of the Chester County Outdoors gun shop on Lancaster Avenue.
East Whiteland Township Police Chief Chris Yeager said once the suspects broke into the gun shop the alarm went off.
But the alarm system company never called the police, so there was no immediate response by officers.
It wasn't until the suspects were crossing back over Lancaster Avenue that they were spotted by a Malvern Police officer.
"He sees two males cross the street in front of him with rifle-like guns in their hands all dressed in black," said Yeager.
Yeager said once the suspects realized they were spotted they took off and ran back onto the train tracks running parallel to Old Lancaster Road.
The officer from Malvern drove back to the General Warren Inn and found the suspects in the parking lot.
One of them was apprehended right there but the other ran down the tracks.
Meanwhile, Great Valley School District in Malvern, Chester County increased police presence as one suspect was still on the loose as students began their school day.
The district issued a message to the community: "Increased security measures have been put in place on all campuses as our number one priority is the safety of our students and staff."
Students were kept indoors during recess and gym.
Police said around 10:40 a.m. the second suspect was apprehended in Malvern Borough.
Stephanie Menta said the manhunt came to a halt in her backyard on Woodland Avenue.
"First I saw a lot of helicopters overhead so I was wondering what was going on," she said. "They pulled up behind my house where they tried to open the shed to see if he was in there."
Menta said a SWAT team found him under a deck in her neighbor's yard.
She saw the takedown.
"He started cursing and not to come near him and then they tackled him in the next yard over," said Menta.
Police said all weapons have been recovered.
The district said its schools returned to normal operations following the incident.
Great Valley School District is made up of Charlestown Elementary School, General Wayne Elementary School, K.D. Markley Elementary School, Sugartown Elementary School, Great Valley Middle School, and Great Valley High School.
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