Plymouth handyman jailed on theft charge

NORRISTOWN >> A Plymouth man is behind bars after he admitted to stealing more than $21,000 in jewelry and coins from the home of a township woman who hired him to complete household repairs.

David J. Buffington, 34, of the 500 block of Palmer Road, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court on Tuesday to 11½to-23 months in the county jail after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of theft by unlawful taking in connection with incidents that occurred between April and September 2016.

Judge William R. Carpenter, who accepted a plea agreement in the case, also ordered Buffington to complete two years’ probation following parole, meaning Buffington will be under court supervision for about four years.

Buffington also must pay $21,930 in restitution to the victim, a Keys Street woman who had hired him to do household repairs.

The investigation began in September 2016, when the victim contacted Plymouth Township police to report that she noticed she was missing “a considerable amount of jewelry and coins from her

home,” according to the criminal complaint filed by Plymouth Police Officer Douglas Copestick.

The woman said she was missing diamond rings and gold bracelets and multiple silver coins.

“She said many of the items hold more sentimental value because they were from when she was a child or they belonged to deceased relatives like her mother,” Copestick said.

During the investigation, the victim told police she hired Buffington in April 2016 as a handyman to perform numerous odd jobs at her home and paid Buffington $100 cash per week for his services. “During the time that Buffington was performing these services for (the victim) he was allowed to perform the work while he was unattended in her home,” Copestick alleged.

Investigators determined Buffington frequented various Norristown area pawn shops and sold jewelry and coins during the time frame when he was performing work for the victim, according to the criminal complaint.

One pawn shop owner told police that Buffington came to the store to pawn items on seven different occasions and was paid $1,140 for the items, court documents indicate.

The jewelry and coins were not recovered and some of the jewelry was melted, police said.

A charge of receiving stolen property was dismissed against Buffington in exchange for his guilty plea to the felony theft charge.

Investigators determined Buffington frequented various Norristown area pawn shops and sold jewelry and coins during the time frame when he was performing work for the victim, according to the criminal complaint.