83-Year-Old and 87-Year-Old Fight Off Alleged 23-Year-Old Robber

An 87-year-old woman and an 83-year-old man from Franconia fought off alleged knifepoint robber Joseph Patrick Walsh, 23, after he allegedly conned them into believing his car broke down and forced them to an ATM when they offered him a ride home on June 19.

His girlfriend, Ashley Getz, 26, of Harrisburg, also faces charges in the alleged robbery for allegedly conspiring with Walsh, police said.

Walsh, of the 1300 block of N. Main Street in Blooming Glen, Bucks County, faces the following charges after a preliminary hearing at Souderton District Court Tuesday:

• Criminal Attempted Robbery With the Threat of Immediate Serious Bodily Injury (Felony)
• Criminal Conspiracy to Committ Attempted Robbery (Felony)
• Two counts misdemeanor Simple Assault
• Recklessly Endangering Another Person
• Criminal Mischief
• Possessing an Instrument of Crime

Two counts of unlawful restraint and two counts of terroristic threats were withdrawn at his preliminary hearing. The robbery charges were increased from second-degree to first-degree felonies, and one count of recklessly endangering another person was withdrawn.

Bail was originally set at arraignment at $225,000 cash, but was reduced at the hearing to $99,000 cash, according to court records. His formal arraignment is set for Jan. 30, 2013.

Getz is charged with felony attempted robbery and felony conspiracy to commit robbery, according to court records. Getz had a preliminary hearing Dec. 3 and arraignment at Montgomery County court is set for Jan. 16, 2013.

Police allege Walsh is the man who pretended his car broke down on Cowpath Road on the evening of June 19, gained the elderly couple's trust and then robbed them from the backseat of their car near the Telford Borough Police Station.

Officer Bretty Popiny was on duty that evening at 9:28 p.m., when he heard a horn blaring from the police station's rear parking lot.

Popiny found the couple in a gray 2011 Chevrolet. The woman told Popiny that a white male with dark hair just threatened her and her passenger with a knife and tried to rob her, police said.

The suspect, police said, fled from the car as it was parked on Penn Avenue in front of the police station.

The female victim told police that Walsh allegedly came to her Robin Drive home in Souderton Mennonite Homes, claiming that his car broke down, according to an affidavit.

She offered Walsh to use the phone, which he did, police said. Walsh told her he called his brother, who lived in Lansdale, but was not home, according to the affidavit. 

At this time, the victim offered Walsh a glass of water and a ride home, police said. She contacted her neighbor to accompany her on the ride, police said.

The victim went to retrieve the glass back from Walsh, police said, but he did not want to give her the glass. Eventually, she got the glass and placed it on the counter.

All three left in the victim's Chevrolet, with Walsh situating himself in the center backseat, police said. 

As the victim drove onto Penn Avenue, Walsh allegedly pulled out a knife and directed the victim to drive to an ATM at Univest, police said.

The couple fought off Walsh, while simultaneously backing up to the police station, where she blew her horn, police said.

Walsh allegedly slashed the rear seat and fled the car, police said.

The car was impounded as evidence, and Officer Daniel Fox secured the water glass as evidence, police said.

Police found a man named Jason Burch near the scene of the crime, and he was charged, police said. Burch was misidentified as the suspect and he was cleared of charges, police said.

On June 20, Fox and Montgomery County Detective Edward Schikel processed the victim's car, taking DNA swabs from inside the vehicle. Swabs were also taken from the glass, police said. All items were sent for DNA testing, using control samples from the victims.

Evidence returned on Nov. 8 from lab testing confirmed Walsh was in the victim's home and car, police said.

Police got tips that the suspect was Walsh on June 21 and June 28.

On June 22, an acquaintance of Burch's provided a written statement to Telford Police that Walsh borrowed a kitchen knife from his residence on West Broad Street in Telford, according to the affidavit.

The witness stated that Walsh was with Getz at the time he allegedly borrowed the knife; Getz is the sister of the witness' girlfriend, police said.

Getz allegedly threatened Walsh with going to the police because Walsh "did something really bad and would probably go to jail," police said. Getz texted her sister about the situation, police said.

Walsh was apprehended on July 2, 2012 by Cheltenham Township Police for allegedly violating the drug act, police said. 

Telford Police spoke with Walsh, who denied involvement in the alleged robbery, police said.

He then asked, "What's in it for me if I cooperate?" police said.

Getz's sister told police that Walsh showed up at her house on June 19 and asked to borrow a knife, according to the affidavit. He allegedly told her that he needed it to collect some money, police said.

When Getz's sister learned more of the case, she confronted Walsh about the alleged robbery and the knife, according to the affidavit. She told Walsh she thought he committed the robbery, but Walsh denied it, stating he needed the knife to get money from someone, police said. 

Getz's sister feared that Getz may be involved in the alleged robbery with Walsh, police said — the duo once allegedy stole a credit card from Walsh's girlfriend's mother and had allegedly burglarized an Abington Township home to feed their alleged heroin addiction, according to the affidavit.

Getz's mother confirmed the credit card theft, and Abington Police confirmed the burglary allegation and confirmed Getz admitted to committing the burglary with Walsh, police said.

Police served a search warrant on July 6 on Walsh's phone and for the collection of his DNA, police said. Phone records corraborated statements made by witnesses, police said.

On July 17, police interrogated Getz. She admitted that she and Walsh got a knife from her sister's residence, police said. She said Walsh needed a weapon "to frighten someone with," according to the affidavit.

She said Walsh and she drove to Souderton Mennonite Community to "find a victim and have the victim drive Walsh to an ATM machine to get money," according to the affidavit.

Walsh and Getz drove around the community to "select a victim," according to the affidavit.

Getz waited around the corner, and eventually received an alleged call from Walsh describing what happened near the police station, police said.

Getz told police she told "the dumb ass" to run, according to the affidavit. She then picked up Walsh, police said.

She told police they committed the alleged robbery due to heroin addiction, police said.

"She acknowledged the fact that she would have to answer for her part in this crime," according to the affidavit.

Police also obtained phone records from the victim's home that showed a call was placed from the Robin Drive residence to Walsh's cell phone, police said.