The defendant allegedly broke a car window in an Upper Perkiomen park.
A Philadelphia man is accused of breaking a car window to steal credit cards and cash in Upper Providence Township in February, and then buying lottery tickets and gift cards at Wawa and Target with the stolen credit cards.
Eric Antron Jenkins, 44, of the 3000 block of Ridge Pike, was charged July 28 with felony charges of dealing in proceeds of an unlawful activity, using a stolen credit card, using a credit card without authorization, theft by unlawful taking, and receiving stolen property, according to court documents.
Misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief-damaging property, possession of an instrument of crime (for possessing a window punch), and theft from a motor vehicle were also lodged against Jenkins, according to the criminal affidavit.
Jenkins remains at Montgomery County jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail, set by Magisterial District Judge Jodi L. Griffis at a Monday arraignment, according to court documents.
Police said the incidents occurred between the morning of Feb. 5 and the afternoon of Feb. 6, 2024 at 101 New Mill Road in the Oaks section of the township.
At 10:59 a.m. Feb. 5, police were on patrol in Lower Perkiomen Valley Park and found a car with a broken window, police said. Police found the vehicle’s owner, and informed her of a broken driver’s side window. Police said the victim’s Kate Spade wallet containing four credit cards, a debit card, a license and health insurance cards, multiple gift cards, and $100 was missing.
The victim received fraud alerts on her phone from her bank at some point during her 9:30 a.m. walk, per the complaint, and she did not know why.
The victim told police her credit and debit cards were used at a Wawa and Target in Oaks, police said.
A Wawa representative told police that a man, alleged to be Jenkins, came in and bought gift cards for $500, per the complaint. Jenkins also purchased $550 in lottery tickets, police said, and then, at a third Wawa in Norristown, the credit cards were used to $641 in items.
Police went to Target, where a representative said Jenkins had a full cart of items and gift cards, but was only limited to four purchases, police said.
Jenkins, authorities allege, purchased four $200 Visa gift cards, a sheet set, a duvet set, and a reusable bag totaling $950.13.
Police said Jenkins was captured on surveillance video entering and exiting the same black 2020 Hyundai Elantra at Wawa and Target.
On Feb. 6, at 11:53 a.m. National Park Service Police requested Lower Providence Township Police for assistance at Pawlings and Egypt roads, due to a visual of a vehicle wanted in relation to thefts from vehicles in Upper Providence and Valley Forge Park, per the affidavit.
National Park Service Police followed Jenkins’s car, police said, and it was stopped by Lower Providence Police on the 2800 block of Egypt Road at noon. According to the affidavit, National Park Service Police said Jenkins’s vehicle hit three cars in Valley Forge Park the day prior.
Jenkins gave consent to search his vehicle, per the complaint. A black and gray metal window punch was found on the driver’s side floor, police said.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 17 at 10:15 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Cathleen Kelly Rebar.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
