‘One-man crime machine’ heading to state prison
MEDIA COURTHOUSE » A Philadelphia man dubbed a “one-man crime machine” by Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood for a series of vehicle break-ins in Upper Darby and Haverford was sentenced to one to two years in a state prison Monday.
Francho Robinson III, 26, entered guilty pleas under three separate cases before Delaware County Common Pleas Court Judge James Bradley to three counts of theft from a motor vehicle and one count of access device fraud, all felonies of the third degree.
Robinson was arrested in the early morning hours of Jan. 6 after Upper Darby police received a theft call on the 400 block of Littlecroft Road. The suspect was described as a light-skinned black man wearing all black clothing and carrying a black schoolbag. Officer Steven Cortese arrived on the scene and witnessed a black male trying to enter a vehicle by checking the door handle, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
The suspect, later identified as Robinson, saw Cortese and ran to the 400 block of Millbank Road. Officers were able to follow his foot prints through snow on the ground and stopped a black sedan pulling away from a parking space.
Police spoke to the driver, who reportedly appeared out of breath and nervous. A resident from Littlecroft Road was brought to the scene and identified Robinson as the man he had seen trying to enter his vehicle.
Officers recovered a stolen credit card from the backpack that had been used to make purchases at Lord and Taylor, Kohl’s, Footlocker and Game Stop. Robinson later admitted to entering 10 unlocked cars in the areas of Childs, Morgan and Lindale roads since Dec. 23. He was also a suspect in at least three similar break-ins in Haverford.
Robinson, who has been incarcerated since his arrest, was given credit for time served under the negotiated plea deal worked out by Assistant District Attorney Matt DeNucci and defense counsel Daniel Donohue.
In addition to prison time, he was given three years of consecutive state probation and ordered to pay restitution of $1,927 to various victims. Robinson was also ordered not to have any contact with the victims. He is not eligible for early release.