Cops: Woman robs man at knifepoint in Norristown

NORRISTOWN >>Just before midnight March 22, police responded to the Walgreens, 1100 W. Main St., for a reported armed robbery. The victim told police he had recently left a residence in the 1000 block of Main Street and was headed west on Butz Alley when a woman approached him from behind, held a folding knife to his neck and said, “Don’t move.” The suspect proceeded to reach into the victim’s pockets and remove his wallet and cell phone before fleeing east on Main Street. The suspect is described as a heavy-set, light-complexioned black female, about 5 feet, 3 inches tall and approximately 23 to 25 years old. She was wearing a white jacket and black pants. The victim said his wallet contained his Mexican ID and $500 cash. Police canvassed the area but did not see anyone fitting the victim’s description of the suspect.

Smell of marijuana leads to drug bust

NORRISTOWN >> At 8:21 p.m. March 20, police made a traffic stop in the 500 block of Walnut Street after noticing the smell of marijuana emanating from a passing vehicle. Two males occupying the vehicle were questioned. The passenger was checked for warrants with negative results and allowed to leave the scene. When questioned by police, the driver admitted to having marijuana in the vehicle and produced a plastic bag containing a green leafy substance from his waistband. During a search of the vehicle, police discovered 10 small resealable plastic bags and a sandwich bag containing an off-white powdery substance inside a cup in a cup holder. The leafy green substance tested positive for marijuana, and the powdery substance tested positive for cocaine. The suspect was taken into custody and the drugs and the suspect’s money were taken into evidence.

Theft from vehicle at retirement home

WHITEMARSH >> Shortly after noon, March 20, police responded to the Masonic Viilage, 801 Ridge Pike, for a report of theft from a vehicle. The victim told police that she parked in the parking lot around 7 a.m. and when she returned to her vehicle at 11 a.m. she discovered her front passenger-side window smashed and her purse missing.

Purse thief goes on spending spree before cards are canceled

WHITEMARSH >> Police on patrol at the Whitemarsh Shopping Center, 48 Ridge Pike, police were flagged down by a woman who told them her pocketbook had just been stolen. The victim said that she placed the black leather bag on the back of her chair while she was eating and noticed it missing when she got up to leave. The victim immediately contacted her creditors to cancel the charge cards that were in the purse, but purchases at the East Norriton Wal-Mart and Weis totalling $1,600 had already been made. An additional purchase was attempted at the Target in Plymouth Township, but was denied. An investigation in ongoing.

Burglary at house with alarm system, unlocked door

WHITEMARSH >> A resident called police at 8:22 a.m. Feb. 17 to report a break-in at her residence in the 6000 block of Cricket Road. The victim told police she was contacted by her security alarm company but requested that they not send police in case it was a false alarm. She came home to find her front door open and the belongings of an upstairs bedroom rifled through. There were no signs of forced entry and the victim said she left her rear door unlocked. Police processed the scene and a K-9 unit tracked a path to the access gate of the Philadelphia Cricket Club on Stenton Avenue.

Job seeker scammedWEST NORRITON >> A resident came to the police station at 1:20 p.m. March 24 to report a case of fraud. Through inquiring about job, the victim was contacted by someone who wanted him to distribute packages. The victim then received two checks totaling $1,850 with the stamped signature of the owner of the company. The victim did some online research, and it appeared to him that the company and its owner were legitimate. The victim was instructed to deposit the checks into his own account and to send $1,200 to a Georgia address via Western Union. The victim complied, but was later informed by his bank the checks were not authentic. The victim reported the scam to Western Union’s fraud department and was instructed by police to also report the incident to the U.S. Postal Service.

Cops seek bar brawlerWEST NORRITON >> At 11:46 p.m. March 24 police were called to Nippers, 2453 W. Main St., for a reported assault. The male suspect reportedly exited the establishment by flinging open a door that hit a male patron outside. The patron took umbrage, and the suspect allegedly responded by yelling, “What are you going to do about it?” A witness said that the victim did not respond, but the suspect approached him and punched him in the face repeatedly, rendering him unconscious. The suspect then opened the passenger-side door of a nearby vehicle, appeared to remove something, and fled on foot. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment, and pictures were taken of his injuries. The owner of the vehicle the suspect entered would not cooperate with police, even after being warned that he could be charged with withholding evidence. Other witnesses provided a possible identity of the suspect and the bar’s owner agreed to allow police access to surveillance footage. The victim told police that he wishes to press charges when the suspect is positively identified.

Shoplifters go after electrical breakers

WEST NORRITON >> Police have taken three people into custody for stealing electrical breakers in two separate incidents at the Home Depot, 600 S. Trooper Road. The first incident occurred around 1 p.m. March 15. Security personnel observed one of two male suspects in the electrical department taking the breakers and placing them in his coat and pants pockets. The suspect, not knowing he was speaking to security, asked a loss prevention employee, “Do you see any workers around?” before attempting to leave the store without paying. The employee stopped the suspect at the door and escorted him to the loss prevention office. The second suspect was apprehended in the plumbing section after he was observed stealing breakers, exiting the store to place them in a vehicle in the parking lot, and reentering the store. Together, the suspects, who police later discovered were brothers, tried to steal 15 breakers worth approximately $340 combined. Both suspects were taken to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility to be arraigned. One of them was found to have an active warrant out of Chester County. Around 2 p.m. March 23, a female suspect entered the store and asked an employee where the electrical breakers were. The employee pointed her to the area and kept an eye on her because of the recent thefts of these items. The suspect took several electrical items and placed them in her purse before attempting to leave without paying. She was stopped at the door and five items worth $152.92 were recovered. The suspect was transported to Montgomery County Correctional Facility for arraignment.