Cops: Robbery leads to capture of three teens on the run
UPPER DARBY >> When three juveniles escaped from a detention facility in Howe Township, they made their way to Upper Darby – some 300 miles away via Interstate 80, and home to one of the escapees.
The 17-year-old Upper Darby youth, along with a 15-year-old boy from Newark, Del., and a 16-yearold boy from Harrisburg, broke free from Abraxus 1 in Marienville on March 19, about 1:30 a.m., Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said Wednesday.
According to Chitwood, the 17-year-old township escapee was serving time for offenses that included robbery, assault, and weapons on a school property. “The other guys were there for robbery and other serious offenses,” he said in announcing their capture, as well as details in a robbery that occurred Tuesday afternoon for which the 17-year-old township youth and two Upper Darby men are now charged.
“It was a combination of good police work and luck, and stupidity on the part of the baddies,” Chitwood said.
Soon after their escape, the teenage trio allegedly stole a 2004 Crown Victoria. They were reportedly driving east on I-80 when they crashed the car and bailed, at mile marker 199, Chitwood said, citing information released by the Pennsylvania State Police.
“At this point, they are gone and nobody knows where they are,” said Chitwood.
Wednesday afternoon, Chitwood couldn’t say exactly when, or even how, the “bad boys” arrived in Upper Darby, only that their life on the lam was short-lived – thanks in part to the Upper Darby youth who allegedly wasted little time in finding himself in some trouble.
It was shortly after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday when a 17-year-old victim reported being robbed in the 300 block of Copley Road. The victim told Upper Darby police he was walking when he saw a car and recognized two of the three males in the car.
“They stop the car and confront the 17-year-old (victim),” Chitwood said. “(The 17-year-old escapee) goes into his pocket and takes his cell phone, $6 cash, a gift card and some personal identification. All three then take off in the car.”
After the robbery, the victim called 911. Later, at police headquarters, he was able to provide authorities nicknames of the suspects. Through photographs, Chitwood said, two of the suspects were identified as 18-year-old Adebayo Awobaikun and 21-year-old Shedrick Cooper, both of Upper Darby.
The victim also provided township police Detective Leo Henshaw the number to his stolen phone.
“Henshaw dials the number. Somebody answers and hangs up,” Chitwood said. “Henshaw texts the number and tells the person to bring the phone in. Who shows up, but (Awobaikun and Cooper).
Both men were charged with robbery, simple assault, theft, receiving stolen property and related conspiracy offenses, according to Chitwood.
Through a continuing investigation, Chitwood said, “the third guy in the robbery is identified” as the 17- year-old Upper Darby escapee. By then, police had already been watching his residence on Veronica Road, after receiving information pertaining to the escape.
“We set up surveillance,” Chitwood said.
Not far from the Veronica Road residence, surveillance officers Michael Taylor and Louis Garay noticed three juveniles standing at the corner, a bus stop, Chitwood said. One of the individuals matched the description of a suspect in the Copley Road robbery.
“They go to stop him … and it’s all three escapees,” Chitwood said. The three juveniles were arrested at the corner of 69th Street and Marshall Road, about 8 p.m. Tuesday.
When he was arrested, the 17-year-old Upper Darby youth had the stolen gift card in his possession, according to Chitwood.
In addition to the robbery offenses, the Upper Darby youth was also wanted on a bench warrant, Chitwood said. Both he and the Newark, Del., boy, who was also wanted on a bench warrant, are being held at the Delaware County Juvenile Detention Center in Lima.
The Harrisburg escapee was returned to Dauphin County, where he was wanted on a bench warrant, Chitwood said.
Both Cooper and Awobaikun are being held at the county prison, each in lieu of 10 percent of $25,000 bail, according to online court records. Their preliminary hearings are listed for April 3 before Magisterial District Judge Ann Berardocco.
Citing previous domestic issues as the motive for the Copley Road robbery, Chitwood added, “They wound up robbing the wrong guy. He was an innocent bystander.”