Crime. (Credit: Flickr Creative Commons)
Daniel Dearth, of the 100 block of Washington Drive, faces a felony and additional misdemeanors
Lower Providence Township detectives have charged a Norristown man with felony burglary and several misdemeanors for allegedly breaking into Audubon Market, with his blood-stained jeans linking him to the crime.
Daniel Dearth, 44, of the 100 block of Washington Drive, faces additional misdemeanor charges of possessing an instrument of crime, theft, receiving stolen property, and criminal mischief, according to court documents.
On April 17 at 12:22 a.m., police responded to a 911 dispatch of a burglary in progress at the market at 2605 Audubon Road, in which a suspect, alleged to be Dearth, was seen breaking the front door, entering the store, and then exiting after taking items from the register area, according to the complaint.
Dearth allegedly smashed a hole in the glass of the front door, and fresh blood was found on the ground outside of the door, on the door handle, and on broken glass around the hole in the door.
A broken hammer was found on the ground, police said.
Security video shows Dearth allegedly smash the door with the hammer, then using his bare hands to pull back the broken glass to make the hole large enough to climb through.
The suspect had red facial hair, and was wearing a dark-blue hoodie jacket, a gray hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and blue denim-like sneakers, police said.
The caller identified the suspect as Dearth, who was a frequent customer that regularly purchased Kratom tablets or liquid shots, police said. Police said they were given a still photograph of Dearth, who was wearing the same clothing during the burglary.
Kratom is an over-the-counter herbal substance that can produce opioid-like and stimulant-like effects, police said.
Police said Dearth had no means of transportation and walked everywhere and was employed by Globus Medical, a medical device company located near Dearth’s manufactured home community. A dark-blue jacket worn by Dearth in the photograph had an emblem consistent with the Globus Medical graphic, police said.
Detectives attempted to contact Dearth at his home via phone, but were unsuccessful. At Dearth’s house, the occupants turned off all the lights and refused to answer the door, police said.
A search warrant was obtained for Dearth’s home, police said. Once inside, detectives found mail addressed to Dearth, along with empty Kratom containers scattered on the floor, police said.
Blood-stained jeans, a dark jacket with the Globus Medical logo, and New Balance sneakers were recovered from the bedroom floor, police said.
Dearth is free on $100,000 unsecured bail, set at arraignment by on-call Magisterial District Judge Dara Nasatir, per court records. A preliminary hearing is set for May 27 at 10:30 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.
