Convicted Thief Faces Theft, Fraud Charges in County Court

A man who no fixed address had a stipulation hearing Thursday morning before District Judge Andrea Duffy on theft, access device fraud and identity theft charges stemming from a Montgomery Township incident in May.

In the end, Joshua Stinson, 23, formerly of 111 W. Sixth St., Lansdale, had a misdemeanor identity theft charge withdrawn by the township police. However, he faces a misdemeanor charge of theft and another misdemeanor charge of access device fraud at his Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas arraignment August 29.

“We stipulated the facts on the probable cause, and there is sufficient cause to hold the charges for Common Pleas court,” said Duffy.

Public defender Ruth Brown said her client agreed there was enough evidence against him to have a trial.

Stinson allegedly stole a credit card, an iPod, $10 in cash and a pack of Marlboro Lights cigarettes from a purse of a employee on May 27, according to an affidavit.

Stinson allegedly used the credit card to buy ice cream at Wawa, according to court records.

All in all, he allegedly racked up $10.48 on a TD Bank Visa card stolen from the victim, according to court papers.

The victim reported to police on May 27 that her wallet had been stolen from her purse from the employee locker room between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., according to the affidavit.

The victim eventually found her wallet in a trash can in the men’s bathroom.

TD Bank fraud investigator Sarah Gumba reported three fraudulent charges on May 27: $4.28 at a Wawa in Montgomeryville at 6:08 p.m.; $3.42 at the 7-Eleven in Montgomeryville at 6:14 p.m.; and $2.78 from the Wawa in Colmar at 6:54 p.m.

Closed circuit TV video of the transaction at Wawa in Colmar was obtained, police said. The subject using the stolen card was a white male, heavy build, with short hair, police said.

He was wearing a white football jersey with the number “21” on the front.
The suspect purchased a Nestle orange popsicle and a Twix ice cream bar for $2.78, police said.

A photo of the suspect, identified as Stinson, was distributed to area law enforcement.

On June 16, a Lansdale Police officer found Stinson in the borough, according to court records.

Stinson was wearing a white football jersey with the number “21” on the front, police said.

Stinson is on probation in Bucks County for a probation violation, police said.

Lansdale Police arrested and charged Stinson Thursday after his preliminary hearing in Montgomeryville.

He is facing two counts of misdemeanor theft by unlawful taking of movable property, one misdemeanor count of theft of property lost by mistake, two counts of misdemeanor receiving stolen property and misdemeanor theft from a motor vehicle, according to court documents.

A preliminary hearing on the Lansdale charges is set for August 14 at 12:15 p.m. before District Judge Harold Borek.