Courts. (Credit: Flickr/Creative Commons)
Brelan C. Vaughn, of the 3700 block of Pulaski Avenue, was charged by Upper Providence Township Police on July 10 and July 14 in connection with thefts
A Philadelphia man with a history of retail theft offenses was arrested earlier this month after allegedly stealing more than $950 worth of merchandise in two separate incidents at the same Upper Providene Township grocery store.
Brelan C. Vaughn, 57, of the 3700 block of Pulaski Avenue, was charged by Upper Providence Township Police on July 10 and July 14 in connection with thefts that occurred at the Wegmans on Commerce Drive in the Collegeville section of the township.
According to police, the first theft occurred on Monday, July 7, around 1:36 p.m., when Vaughn was seen on surveillance video entering the store with a personal cart nested inside a Wegmans cart. Police said Vaughn selected various grocery items from the sales floor and, around 1:44 p.m., concealed 19 containers of Tide laundry detergent pods in his personal cart.
He then exited the store without paying, passing all points of sale by 1:48 p.m., according to the complaint. The stolen items were valued at $522.31.
Surveillance footage showed Vaughn walking from the Wegmans parking lot toward the nearby Arden Parkside Apartments while pushing the cart. A second man was observed on camera removing the stolen Tide products from Vaughn’s cart and placing them in the trunk of a red 2022 Honda HR-V.
Just three days later, on July 10 at approximately 12:17 p.m., Upper Providence officers were called back to the same Wegmans after loss prevention staff recognized Vaughn in the store and began monitoring him on surveillance video.
Police said Vaughn was observed placing a large black trash bag inside a Wegmans shopping cart and using it to conceal more merchandise. He selected various items including more Tide Pods, Bounce dryer sheets, nutmeg seasoning, and another box of trash bags, totaling $455.86. He then sealed the items in the black bag and exited the store without paying, police said.
Vaughn was taken into custody immediately upon leaving the store.
During a search, police allegedly found a glass pipe commonly used to smoke crack cocaine and a small plastic vial in his right pants pocket.
Vaughn was charged with felony retail theft and receiving stolen property in both cases due to prior convictions, along with a misdemeanor count of possessing drug paraphernalia stemming from the July 10 arrest.
According to court records, Vaughn remains jailed on $77 cash bail, which includes a probation detainer. A preliminary hearing on the July 10 arrest is set for Aug. 26 before Magisterial District Judge Cathleen Kelly Rebar. A hearing on the July 14 arrest is set for Sept. 2 before Rebar.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
