A suspect fleeing Plymouth Township police crossed the Schuylkill River to the West Conshohocken/Upper Merion Township side on Friday, July 17, after officers responded to a scrap metal theft call at the former Cleveland Cliffs steel plant at 900 Conshohocken Road.
Police arrived just before 9:30 a.m. after receiving a report of people inside the shuttered facility, the Plymouth Township Police Department said. At least one suspect ran from the property and entered the river, prompting fire and EMS units to respond for a water rescue. Police said the suspect made it to the opposite bank, though the department has not said whether the person was pulled from the water or reached the far side independently.
A pattern since the plant's closure
The river crossing is the most dramatic episode in what has become a recurring problem at the former steel plant since it shut down in 2025. Between January 11 and March 19, Plymouth Township police arrested nine people on charges including burglary, criminal trespass, and theft at the same address, according to a department press release.
Those arrested came from as far as Mays Landing and Palmyra, New Jersey. Offenders gained access by cutting locks on gates and slicing through the exterior perimeter fence to steal metal for scrapping, police said. One suspect, Brian Mainart of Jeffersonville, had an active arrest warrant as of March 19.
The department's Criminal Investigations Division said it continues to pursue leads on additional suspects.
Police warning to residents
Plymouth Township police stressed that the former Cleveland Cliffs property is not public land. The site is secured by a locked perimeter fence and staffed by on-duty security guards. The department said anyone found inside the fenced area will be prosecuted.
Residents with information about criminal activity at the plant or the individuals involved in the July 17 incident can call Plymouth Township police at 610-279-1901 or email tips to [email protected].
