7 accused in robberies at used car lot
NORRISTOWN » Seven people from Norristown and Philadelphia are accused of conspiring in two armed robberies and an attempted kidnapping at a Norristown used car dealership, robberies that netted the culprits nearly $10,000 in cash and numerous vehicle titles.
Five of the seven alleged participants have been arrested. They are: Michael Dukes, 27, of the 200 block of Hamilton Street, Norristown; Charlie Franco, 30, of the 4800 block of B Street, Philadelphia; Eric Santana, 35, of the 4000 block of Bennington Street, Philadelphia; Damon Murphy, 32, of the 2100 block of North 32nd Street, Philadelphia; and Theophilus Berry, 31, of the 13200 block of North 59th Street, Philadelphia.
Arrested warrants have been issued for two others, Calvin Berkins, 29, of the 200 block of Nassau Place, Norristown, and Rebecca Roman, 28, of the 1400 block of East Luzerne Street, Philadelphia, and they are actively being sought by law enforcement, according to Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele.
“Both Berkins and Roman should be considered armed and dangerous,” Steele said.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Berkins or Roman should contact the county detectives at 610278-3368 or Norristown police at 610-270-0977.
With the charges, authorities alleged the seven defendants “operated within a corrupt organization that orchestrated two armed robberies” between April and July at the El Camino Motors used car dealership located in the 700 block of East Main Street in Norristown.
Authorities alleged an unidentified Hispanic female also conspired with the seven defendants.
Investigators used wiretaps, surveillance footage and cellphone telephone analysis to link the defendants to the crimes, according to court documents.
The first armed robbery at the used car dealership occurred about 8 p.m. April 30, according to the criminal complaint.
Investigators alleged Roman and another unidentified woman entered the dealership and indicated they wanted to purchase a Jeep Liberty vehicle. When the salesman asked Roman for her driver’s license she “placed her hand in her purse and pulled out a blackcolored, semiautomatic handgun and pointed it at the victim,” according to the arrest affidavit. The second suspect also pointed a handgun at the victim but did not speak, detectives alleged.
Roman allegedly asked the victim “where is all the money?” and “where is all the work?” according to the criminal complaint. Roman ordered the victim to open all the drawers in the office and to get on the ground.
“Based upon our training, knowledge and experience, we believe Roman and the unidentified female utilized the ruse of posing as prospective buyers of a vehicle in order to facilitate this armed robbery,” detectives wrote in the arrest affidavit. “The ploy of pretending to be customers served as a distraction, which is employed to reduce a person’s suspicion, awareness and attentiveness of their surroundings.”
While the victim was on the floor, Murphy entered the office and pointed a gun at the victim and went through the victim’s pockets and stole his wallet and iPhone, detectives alleged.
“Murphy told the victim not to move or he will kill him,” detectives alleged, adding the victim “was placed in fear for his life if he failed to comply with their demands.”
The three alleged actors left the business with $8,000 cash and about 100 vehicle titles before fleeing in a vehicle westbound on East Main Street, detectives said.
The second armed robbery and attempted kidnapping occurred at the dealership about 6:40 p.m. July 18, and the same man robbed during the April 30 incident was targeted again, court documents indicate. The victim told detectives three males entered the business, including two who pointed guns at him and ordered him to give them his money, detectives alleged.
One of the armed men told the victim, “we know you got money, you made a deal, we saw you,” according to court papers.
The two armed males forced the victim to his office, ordered him to open drawers and stole about $1,200 in cash, court documents alleged. The three men later walked the victim outside at gunpoint and tried to force him into a waiting 2018 Ford Explorer. However, the victim resisted and while he was punched by some of the actors, he was able to run away and all three robbers fled in the Explorer, which also was occupied by two other people, detectives alleged.
Video surveillance footage from the dealership helped detectives identify Franco, Santana and Berry, right down to the tattoos they sported on their bodies, as the three males who participated in the July 18 robbery and attempted kidnapping.
Franco and Santana were arrested in Philadelphia on July 24.
Detectives alleged Dukes subsequently contacted the victim and tried to convince the victim to go to the preliminary hearing for Santana and Franco and lie about the robbery and attempted kidnapping. The victim notified detectives about the alleged interaction because he felt threatened and was in fear, detectives said. An armed Dukes was taken into custody on Aug. 1 when he went to El Camino to meet with the victim, detectives wrote in court papers.
Authorities alleged Berkins was parked near the dealership and was communicating with Dukes, including sending a text message stating, “We need something today,” while Dukes was trying to intimidate the victim to lie in court. When Berkins viewed police move in to arrest Dukes he fled from the area at a high rate of speed in a vehicle, detectives alleged.
After his arrest, Dukes allegedly told detectives that prior to the July 18 robbery he had been sent by others to “scout” the dealership to ascertain when the victim was arriving and departing El Camino Motors.
The five defendants who have been arrested remain in the county jail unable to post their various bails while awaiting their preliminary hearings.