Pair charged in robberies, thefts from Walmart stores
POTTSTOWN » Two men are facing charges after police say they were involved in several retail thefts and armed robberies throughout multiple counties.
John Beverly, 28, of Philadelphia, and Maurkeece Foreman, 26, of Pottstown, have been charged after police apprehended Foreman following a Jan. 7 armed robbery of the Walmart store in Pottstown on Shoemaker Road. During that armed robbery, Foreman allegedly put a gun to the employee’s head and demanded all 20 iPhones in the display case be placed in a bag he had taken from another part of the store, according to police. The total value of the phones was $6,383.
The robbery in Pottstown was the last of a string of armed robberies and thefts in which police allege the pair were involved.
According to a release from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, the robberies and thefts occurred between July 23, 2017 and Jan. 7, 2018. During those incidents, merchandise totaling $52,808.15 had been stolen. The crimes spanned counties including Montgomery, Bucks, Carbon, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster and Luzerne.
The pair are being charged in relation to the following incidents:
• July 23, 2017 – Walmart Store on Blakeslee Boulevard East Drive in Lehighton, Mahoning Township, Carbon County: Four home surveillance systems, two computers, three WiFi systems and two whole home WiFi systems valued at $3,872.18 stolen.
• Aug.
2, 2017 – Walmart store on Lincoln Highway
East in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster
County: Several IPHONES valued at $4,096 stolen.
• Dec. 12, 2017 – Walmart store at Wilkes-Barre Township Marketplace in Wilkes Barre, Luzerne County: Nine types of IPHONES and a bag valued at $7,059 stolen.
• Dec. 18, 2017 – Walmart store at North Gulph Road in King of Prussia, Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County: Three JBL speakers and a bed comforter valued at $397 stolen.
• Dec. 18, 2017 – Walmart store on South Trooper Road in Norristown, West Norriton Township, Montgomery County: Armed robbery of a computer and two JBL speakers valued at $977.
• Dec. 23, 2017 – Walmart store on Noble Boulevard in Carlisle Borough, Cumberland County: Armed robbery of 10 IPHONES valued at $7,784.
• Dec. 27, 2017 – Walmart store on Kocher Lane in Elizabethville, Mifflin Township, Dauphin County: Theft of plastic storage tote and six laptop computers valued at $1,502. 97.
• Dec. 27, 2017 – Walmart store on Lincoln Highway East in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County: Armed robbery of 11 IPHONES valued at $7,653.
• Jan. 4, 2018 – Walmart store on Bethlehem Pike in Hatfield, Hilltown Township, Bucks County: Armed robbery of 14 types of iPhone valued at $13, 084.
According to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office, the investigation involved multiple police departments including Montgomery County Detectives, the FBI, State Police and police from Pottstown, Upper Merion, West Norriton, Mahoning Township, Manheim Borough, East Lampeter Township, Wilkes-Barre Township, Carlisle Borough and Hilltown Township.
Before charges were filed in connection with the other incidents, Foreman was charged with armed robbery for the incident reported in Pottstown, police said. He has remained in Montgomery County Correctional Facility since his arrest in early January. Beverly was detained on Jan. 25 by Philadelphia County on a probation violation.
Both men are facing 40 felony counts of robbery with threat of serious bodily injury, criminal conspiracy to commit robbery, criminal conspiracy to commit retail theft, retail theft, theft by unlawful taking, theft by receiving stolen property and organized retail theft. They are additionally charged with misdemeanors including possessing instruments of crime, simple assault, and simple assault with serious bodily injuries, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.
The two men were arraigned before District Judge Marc A. Alfarano and are scheduled for a preliminary hearing on March 7 again before Alfarano. Beverly and Foreman were unable to post the set $250,000 cash bail and are being held and Montgomery County Correctional Facility.