Man jailed for attempted robbery in Limerick

A Pottstown man faces up to two years in prison after he admitted trying to steal a bag filled with goods.

NORRISTOWN >> A Pottstown man faces up to two years in prison after he admitted to trying to steal a bag filled with goods purchased by a shopper at the Philadelphia Premium Outlets complex in Limerick.

Gerald A. Rodarmel, 50, of the 300 block of North Hanover Street, was sentenced in Montgomery

County Court to 1 to 2 years in a state correctional facility after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of attempted robbery in connection with the July 30, 2019, incident at the shopping complex located off Lightcap Road in Limerick.

Judge Steven T. O’Neill imposed the punishment as part of a plea agreement and he ordered Rodarmel to have no contact with the victim of the incident. The victim and Rodarmel did not know each other, according to court papers.

The investigation began about 4:59 p.m. when Limerick police responded to the outlet complex for a report of an attempted strong arm robbery. The male shopper told police that he observed a man follow him, come up behind him and attempt to take a shopping bag that contained two pairs of shoes he had just purchased from one of the stores at the outlet complex.

“(The victim) advised police that he refused to let go of his bag and began yelling at the defendant, who then let go and began to walk away,” according to the criminal complaint filed by Limerick Police Officer Kevin McGuigan.

An off-duty police officer witnessed the attempted strong arm robbery and then followed Rodarmel as Rodarmel fled on foot behind the complex and jumped over a chain link fence which leads to Route 422, according to the criminal complaint.

When police arrived at the scene, they began checking the area along the fence line. Police eventually heard something move in the brush on the Route 422 side of the fence and observed Rodarmel, who complied with police orders to halt, according to the arrest affidavit.

Rodarmel was taken into custody without further incident, police said.