Philadelphia man charged with thefts

A Philadelphia man was charged with forgery and related charges after he attempted to steal four large-screen televisions from the Sears at the Willow Grove Park mall Aug. 8, Abington police said.

Mark L. Taylor, 52, of korth 57th Street, Philadelphia, was charged with forgery, use of a stolen credit card, access device fraud, theft by deception, receiving stolen property, possession of a counterfeit credit card and the unlawful use of computers and other computer crimes after a Sears loss prevention manager reported that Taylor had opened two Sears credit card accounts and immediately purchased four large-screen televisions with the cards at 2 p.m., police said. The manger said the pur- chases and the identification that Taylor used looked suspicious, police said.

The manager told authorities that Taylor was riding in a Chrysler Pacifica, police said.

Police arrived at the mall shortly after speaking with the manager and observed the Chrysler Pacifica exit the mall parking lot and turn left, heading northbound on Moreland Road without properly signaling, police said. Authorities also observed that the driver’s side rear break light was failing to illuminate properly, police said.

Police stopped the vehicle on Moreland and Allison roads and observed the four large-screen televisions in the back of the vehicle, police said.

Taylor, the passenger in the vehicle, told authorities he did not have a photo ID on him, when police requested identification. When authorities did a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation check, they found that Taylor’s license was under suspension, police said.

When police asked Taylor to exit the vehicle, he complied and immediately admitted to making fraudulent purchases at Sears, police said. Taylor also admitted to having a counterfeit license in the vehicle, police said.

Police confiscated a counterfeit Pennsylvania driver’s license, a counterfeit Radio Shack Visa credit card, the four fraudulently purchased televisions, jewelry that was also purchased with the Sears credit cards and a black leather folder containing a complete credit card report of the victim Taylor was posing as, police said.

The merchandise totaling A4,298.95 was returned to Sears, police said.

Taylor was taken into custody, police said.

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