Feds indict Suburban Armory gunnap suspect
A Philadelphia man previously charged in Delaware County for the May 2015 theft of 19 guns from a Collingdale firearms store has been indicted in federal court.
Jabaar Tindell, 41, is facing three counts for theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee, knowing possession of stolen firearms, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in the indictment unsealed Thursday.
Co-defendant Marc Bredell, 28, of Philadelphia, has also been charged with theft and possession of stolen firearms in the 2015 burglary from Suburban Armory on the 1000 block of MacDade Boulevard.
Tindell was originally charged in the Delaware County Common Pleas Court with more than 80 counts of burglary, theft, receiving stolen property and conspiracy offenses following extradition from Virginia, where he was arrested in September. Bredell had not been previously charged.
Police believed three or four males smashed a window to gain entrance to the store at about 4:13 a.m. on May 21, 2015, according to an affidavit of probable cause for Tindell’s arrest. They took 19 handguns from two display cases but were unable to take rifles that had been chained together.
Investigators were able to connect Tindell to the theft from blood left on a piece of glass at the scene. Pennsylvania State Police allegedly matched that sample to one already on record for Tindell. The indictment contained few details and did not explain Bredell’s alleged role.
Tindell was arrested on a farm in Christiansburg, Va., following a joint effort by the Virginia Montgomery County Sheriffs, U.S. Marshals and local law enforcement. Collingdale Police Chief Robert Adams said Tindell was “pitching hay” at the time of his arrest.
Tindell is scheduled for trial next week in the Delaware County Common Pleas Court, but Emily Harris, a spokesperson for District Attorney Jack Whelan, said Friday that those charges would be withdrawn in lieu of the federal case.
Tindell is represented by defense attorney Joseph Lesniak in the Delaware County case, though court records for the federal case do not list an attorney. Lesniak did not return calls for comment Friday. Bredell is represented by Mark T. Wilson and Stuart Patchen of the Defender Association of Philadelphia.
Assistant United States Attorney Eric A. Boden said Friday that federal law enforcement has a keen interest in these types of crimes and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms assisted with the investigation from the start.
“(The) ATF will continue to identify and arrest those individuals who steal firearms from our licensed dealers and funnel them into the hands of criminals who use them to commit violent crimes,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Sam Rabadi in a release announcing the federal charges. “We are committed to protecting our communities and business owners.”
Only two of the weapons had reportedly been recovered as of December 2016. Boden said he could not comment on whether any additional firearms were recovered since that time because it is an ongoing investigation.
Tindell faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted on all counts, while Bredell faces a maximum sentence of 20 years. Each defendant also faces possible fines, supervised release and special assessments.
Tindell is also facing burglary and related charges for a September 2015 break-in at a tobacco shop in Ridley. He is scheduled for trial in that case Monday before Delaware County Common Pleas Court Judge Mary Alice Brennan.