Pottstown, Norristown, Abington detectives honored
The successful investigation of a oneday armed robbery spree resulted in honors for investigators from Pottstown, Norristown and Abington.
To show his thanks for a job well done, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele presented commendations to Pottstown Detective Michael Glauner, Norristown Detective Charles Leeds and Abington Detective Robert Hill Jr. for their “great team work” leading to the arrest and conviction of a Philadelphia man in connection with an armed robbery spree that occurred in Pottstown and Norristown on Dec. 8, 2015.
“This investigation was an exceptional combination of old-fashioned shoe leather and some high-tech help from social media and surveillance videos that resulted in the arrest and the conviction of Kenneth Jones in these cases. I’m pleased to present these law enforcement commendations to you three for your great team work,” Steele addressed the Pottstown police Chief Richard Drumheller, left, and Mayor Sharon Thomas congratulate Officer Jeffrey Portock at the May 3 borough council meeting after Portock was named Officer of the Year for 2016. three detectives during a ceremony at the Montgomery County Public Safety Training Campus in Plymouth Township.
A crowd of about 200 police officers, detectives and their families proudly applauded as Steele distributed the commendations and plaques to the officers, recognizing their devotion to duty and public service. The commendations were three of 34 that Steele distributed, during the district attorney’s annual commendation ceremony, to law enforcers and civilians to honor them for “their extraordinary efforts and exemplary work in protecting and serving county residents.”
“In each of these armed robberies the defendant used a gun to intimidate and frighten the victims into complying with his demands. Detectives Leeds, Glauner and Hill worked together to identify the perpetrator,” Steele explained.
Kenneth Jones Jr., 32, of Philadelphia, was convicted by a jury in March of charges of robbery, recklessly endangering others, receiving stolen property, access device fraud and possessing an instrument of crime in connection with the armed robberies in Pottstown and Norristown.
Jones, who potentially faces decades in prison on the charges, is awaiting sentencing. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Laura Bradbury.
Jones’s crime spree began about 3:50 a.m. Dec. 8 when he approached a man walking in the area of Lafayette and Stanbridge streets in Norristown, produced a black handgun and robbed the victim of his wallet, according to a criminal complaint filed by Leeds. Jones later made successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the victim’s debit card at area Wal-Mart and Wawa stores, according to testimony.
At 9:50 a.m. Dec. 8, Jones was in Pottstown and approached a man waiting for a bus in the 900 block of East High Street, showed the victim the butt of a handgun and demanded the victim’s cellphone and debit card, according to court papers.
Jones returned to Norristown and at 10:45 a.m. Dec. 8 he approached a woman on a parking lot in the 1200 block of West Main Street, lifted up his sweatshirt to display a revolver tucked in his waistband and demanded the woman’s valuables, according to court papers. When the woman screamed, Jones fled from the area on foot.
When detectives from Norristown, Pottstown and Abington noticed similarities in armed robberies committed in their jurisdictions on the same day they compared information and were able to develop Jones as the lone suspect, Steele said.
When Glauner provided video surveillance footage, recorded around the time of the Pottstown robbery, to Norristown detectives investigating the robbery at Lafayette and Stanbridge streets, investigators were able to identify a gray Nissan Altima vehicle as a potential link to each of the crimes. That vehicle subsequently was linked to Jones.
The jury acquitted Jones of similar robbery-related charges in connection with one armed robbery in Abington that prosecutors alleged occurred on the same day.
In acquitting Jones of the alleged Abington armed robbery, the jury appeared to be swayed by the fact that one of the victims of that robbery could not identify Jones as the robber when he testified in court. The victims in the Pottstown and Norristown robberies did identify Jones as the assailant when they testified.
Steele said he’s privileged to honor law enforcers each year.
“It makes me incredibly proud,” Steele told the crowd during the commendation ceremony.