Police arrest 4 theft suspects

West Whiteland police: as officers responded to the scene they observed the alleged suspects leaving in a vehicle

WEST WHITELAND » Police responded to a theft in process and followed the alleged suspects when they drove from a store with the stolen merchandise.

West Whiteland police said Yannic Bey, 33, Leevette Johnson, 50, Deedra Nichols, 42, and Tinika Nichols, 45, all of Philadelphia, were arrested Aug. 11 after officers responded to the Party City store for an alleged theft in progress. Officers responded to the scene and observed the alleged suspects leaving in a vehicle. Police attempted to conduct a traffic stop and they said the vehicle allegedly proceeded through a red traffic light and fled on West Lincoln Highway. Police said the fleeing vehicle was stopped after it was unable to maneuver through traffic stopped at a red light at Route 100.

Police said it was determined that the four suspects had allegedly stolen $373 worth of merchandise from the Party City store. Police said that Bey had arrest warrants from Philadelphia for an alleged robbery of motor vehicle and a probation violation for a prior retail theft conviction. All four were charged with retail theft, receiving stolen property, possession of an instrument of crime, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest or other law enforcement. Bey was also charged with fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and traffic offenses for being the alleged driver of the vehicle.

All four were arraigned by Judge William Kraut and remanded to Chester County Prison after failing to post bail. A search warrant was later executed on the vehicle and police said they found $1,762 worth of alleged stolen merchandise from the AC Moore store in East Caln Township in the vehicle.

The following are from West Whiteland police reports:

Retail theft

Police said it was determined that the four suspects had allegedly stolen $373 worth of merchandise from the Party City store.

Police said Rasheed Hannah, 23, of Philadelphia, was charged with retail theft and receiving stolen property after an investigation into a $131 theft at the Baby Gap store on July 31. Police said Hannah was identified as one of the alleged suspects and a warrant was obtained for his arrest. Investigators are still attempting to locate Hannah. Police ask that anyone with information on his whereabouts contact the West Whiteland Township Police Department at 610-692-5100 or send an email to tips@ westwhiteland.org.

Police said Jeremy Mulvaney, 40, of Honey Brook, was charged with an alleged $12 retail theft that occurred at the WalMart store on Aug. 9. A loss prevention officer called and reported that a theft suspect had stolen merchandise and left the area in a vehicle. Police officers checked the area but were unable to locate the vehicle.

Patrol officers responded back to the Wal-Mart store Aug. 11 after a call from the loss prevention officer who stated that the suspect had returned to the store. Officers made contact with Mulvaney and they said he was identified as the person responsible for the alleged theft. Police said that Mulvaney had two prior retail theft convictions. He was arraigned on the felony retail theft charge by Judge William Kraut and released after posting 10 percent of his $7,500 bail.

DUI

Police said John Nugent, 64, of Downingtown, was charged with DUI Aug. 15 after patrol officers responded to the area of Route 100 and the on-ramp from Pottstown Pike for a reported two-vehicle crash. A patrol officer made contact with Nugent, who was the driver of one of the vehicles. Police said he was arrested after reportedly failing field sobriety tests and he was released on a criminal summons.

Police said Rosemary Grosso, 63, of West Chester, was charged with DUI and traffic offenses Aug. 10 after patrol officers responded to the 600 block of Metro Court for a onevehicle crash. Police said Grosso was arrested after reportedly failing field sobriety tests and she was released on a criminal summons.