Two defendants plead guilty in $384K Collegeville jewelry store heist, third set for trial

Two of three defendants have admitted to a burglary last year of a Collegeville Borough jewelry store, in which more than $384,000 in jewelry was taken.

Dartanuall Lomar Cox, 23, of 5000 block of Market Street, Philadelphia, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court last week to felony burglary and will be sentenced at a later date, according to court records.

Other felony charges of conspiracy to commit burglary, criminal trespassing by breaking into a structure, conspiracy to commit trespassing, theft by unlawful taking, conspiracy to commit theft, receiving stolen property, conspiracy to receive stolen property, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities and an associated conspiracy were dismissed at the pre-trial hearing. Charges of misdemeanor criminal mischief by damaging property and an associated conspiracy charge were also dismissed.

A second associate, Donte Stanley Solomon, 32, of 7000 block of Chelwynde Avenue, Philadelphia, also pleaded guilty to burglary in January and is set to be sentenced in May, according to court documents. The same above charges were dismissed against Solomon.

A third defendant, Lawrence Harper III, 35, of the 4200 block of Orchard Street, Philadelphia, is set for a jury trial in May, according to court records.  Harper has been at Montgomery County jail since March 2024 on $10,077 cash bail, which includes a parole/probation detainer

Police allege all three burglarized Sabre’s Jewelry at 416 E. Main St. in Collegeville on Feb. 9, 2024 at 4:24 a.m.

At that time, Collegeville Borough Police were dispatched to an alarm at the jewelry store and were informed by the alarm company that the owner of the business could hear noises coming from inside the store and could hear things breaking in the background, per the complaint.

Police found forced entry was made in the rear of the building by breaking a glass window, per the complaint. Lower Providence and Upper Providence police units responded to assist Collegeville Borough Police in locating the offenders in the surrounding area.

A Lower Providence Township officer saw a white heavily-tinted Nissan Maxima stopped in the middle of the roadway and idling with its rear lights turned off at Park Avenue and Chestnut Street in Collegeville, about one-third of a mile from the burglary, police said.

Police saw multiple occupants in the car as its police vehicle approached the Nissan. Police conducted a traffic stop, but the Nissan fled down Chestnut Street, police said.

As the Nissan fled, its occupants began tossing jewelry from the car as it was driving away, police said. A police pursuit then took place through Collegeville, Lower Providence and West Norriton, until the offenders turned off their lights, police said.

The pursuit ended in West Norriton Township.

At the crime scene, police found fresh saliva in the area where the Nissan was parked, jewelry in various locations, including outside of the jewelry store, and a clear trash bag inside the store, police said in the affidavit.

Surveillance video showed three males making entry at 4:30 a.m., and once inside, one of them used a hammer tool to break the jewelry display cases and the other two suspects removed jewelry and placed it in clear trash bags, police said.

On Feb. 20, 2024, police met with the owner of Sabre’s Jewelry, who provided a list of the estimated loss of items, which totaled $384,041.83 for nine display cases of jewelry and two earring spinning displays, police said.

In addition, damages to the display cases were estimated at $6,945, per the complaint.

Police traced the Nissan to its owner, Harper, who told them the vehicle was stolen and he was unaware of the burglary, police said.

Police searched the Nissan, which uncovered a pair of 14-karat gold earrings underneath the passenger seat, according to the complaint. Police confirmed to the owners of Sabre’s Jewelry that the earrings were stolen from the store, police said.

On March 6, 2024, detectives obtained video surveillance from Philadelphia Police from Feb. 12, 2024 at 9:43 p.m., which showed, police allege, the Nissan parked on the 2300 block of North 12^th Street, which is where Harper took the stolen Nissan.

On March 18, 2024, detectives obtained cell phone records from AT&T for Harper, before, during and after the burglary, per the affidavit. Authorities said the Harper’s cell phone communicated with cellular sites in Philadelphia the morning of Feb. 9, and then traveled to the area of Collegeville at 4:26 a.m.

Authorities allege a portion of the stolen jewelry was taken to Forman’s Pawn Shop in South Philadelphia on Feb 10, 2024, and sold for $10,000.

On Feb. 28, 2024, detectives spoke with Philadelphia Police detectives, who conducted a review of Forman’s Pawn Shop records from Feb. 10 and found two transactions for jewelry at $4,500 each for gold, police said, by Solomon.

The pawn shop owner recounted to authorities that two people came into his store on Feb. 10, Harper identifying himself as “Toby,” police said.

In April 2024, detectives executed three search warrants through T-Mobile for cell phone location records for phone numbers associated with Cox, Solomon and Harper's second cell phone, police said.

Police said there were 34 phone calls between Cox and Solomon on Feb. 9 and Feb. 10, 2024. Furthermore, there were 24 calls between Cox and Harper’s phones on Feb. 10, police said.

On Feb. 9, between 12:14 a.m. and 12:22 a.m., all three men’s phones were pinged at cell sites around Solomon’s home, police allege. Cox’s and Harper’s phone records showed them traveling together, while Solomon’s phone remained in Philadelphia, police said. By 2:03 a.m., both Cox and Harper’s phones placed them in Feasterville, per the complaint.

At 3:29 a.m., Cox’s location was pinged in Collegeville on Germantown Pike and then minutes later around the jewelry store, police said.

After the burglary, cell records show Cox and Harper leaving the burglary location and heading into West Norriton/Norristown, which follows the pursuit, police said.

By 8 a.m., all three phones are back in Philadelphia, police said.

Police said the three defendants were chatting through Instagram to discuss the sale of the stolen jewelry. In April 2024, a search warrant was executed on Harper’s Instagram account, police said, which located a private message conversation with Solomon.

The messages stated Harper was in possession of the jewelry and both he and Solomon were discussing financial transactions, police allege.

In May 2024, a search warrant was executed on Solomon’s Instagram account by detectives, per the affidavit. Authorities allegedly found private messages by Solomon, as well as photographs and videos related to the burglary.

Authorities found seven video files, depicting piles of several gold rings, with price tags attached, as well as multiple necklaces, and miscellaneous bracelets, per the affidavit.

On June 10, 2024, detectives showed the victims the videos and they positively identified most of the jewelry, police said.

Police allege Solomon shared the video files to various Instagram users to sell and profit off the jewelry.

Police said one of Solomon’s Instagram photos from 2021 depicted him In a distinctive black and white bandana on his forehead, which is similar to a bandana worn by one of the individuals in the burglary.

Solomon is out on $20,000 unsecured bond and Cox is free on $89,000 unsecured, per court records.

All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.