Charges Upheld Against Lansdale Home Invasion Suspects, One Remains At-Large

A Lansdale man and an Ambler man, charged in two armed home invasions that occurred on the 700 block of Willow Street in October 2012 in Lansdale, waived all charges to county arraignment at their preliminary hearings Thursday afternoon.

Salvatore Joseph Rocco Jr., 22, of the 400 block of Church Road, Lansdale, and Anthony Thompson, 22, of the 400 block of Railroad Avenue, Ambler, face the following offenses at their formal arraignments Feb. 13 at Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas:

• Six counts of First-Degree Felony Robbery — Threatening with Immediate Serious Injury
• Four counts of Second-Degree Felony Robbery — Inflicting/Threatening Immediate Bodily Injury
• Two counts of Third-Degree Felony Robbery — Taking Property by Force
• Three counts of First-Degree Felony Burglary from an Overnight Accommodation While Someone was Present
• Three counts of First-Degree Felony Conspiracy to Commit Burglary
• Two counts of Third-Degree Felony Receiving Stolen Property
• Two counts of Third-Degree Felony Conspiracy of Receiving Stolen Property
• Three counts of Second-Degree Felony Criminal Trespass — Breaking into a Structure
• Three counts of Second-Degree Felony Conspiracy to Commit Criminal Trespass
• Two counts of Third-Degree Felony Theft by Unlawful Taking
• Two counts of Third-Degree Felony Conspiracy Theft by Unlawful Taking
• Two counts of Second-Degree Felony Aggravated Assault
• Two counts of Second-Degree Felony Conspiracy Aggravated Assault
• Two counts of Third-Degree Felony Carrying a Firearm Without a License
• Two counts of Third-Degree Felony Conspiracy of Carrying a Firearm Without a License
• Two counts of Misdemeanor Unlawful Restraint with Serious Bodily Injury
• Two counts of Misdemeanor Conspiracy to Commit Unlawful Restraint
• Two counts of Misdemeanor Terroristic Threats With Intent to Terrorize Another
• Two counts of Misdemeanor Conspiracy to Commit Terroristic Threats
• Two counts of Misdemeanor False Imprisonment
• Two counts of Misdemeanor Conspiracy to Commit False Imprisonment
• Two counts of Misdemeanor Second-Degree Recklessly Endangering Another Person
• Two counts of Misdemeanor Second-Degree Conspiracy to Commit Reckless Endangerment
• Two counts of Misdemeanor Simple Assault
• Two counts of Misdemeanor Conspiracy of Simple Assault
• One count of Misdemeanor Possessing an Instrument of Crime
• One count of Misdemeanor Conspiracy to Possess an Instrument of Crime
• Two counts of Misdemeanor Possession of a Weapon
• Two counts of Misdemeanor Conspiracy to Possess a Weapon
• Two counts of Misdemeanor Harassment by Communicating Lewd and Threatening Language
• Two counts of Misdemeanor Conspiracy of Harassment

A third suspect, Zakarias Hailemicael, 22, whose last known address was the 2400 block of Whitpain Hills Drive in Blue Bell, remains at large, police said. Police Investigator Chad Bruckner said police have received new information on Hailemicael.

Hailemicael's current location is unknown. Call Lansdale Police Street Crimes Unit at 215-368-1801 or email crimetips@lansdalepd.org if anyone has information on Hailemicael's whereabouts.

Rocco's bail was reduced from $100,000 cash to $50,000 straight cash at the hearing Thursday. Rocco was represented by attorney Thomas Carluccio. Rocco remains incarcerated at Montgomery County prison.

Thompson remains incarcerated as well, in lieu of $100,000 cash bail. Thompson was represented at his hearing by attorney Brooks Thompson, of Norristown.

Rocco was apprehended Nov. 20 by Ambler Borough Police and taken into custody by Montgomery County Sheriff’s on a failure to appear warrant. 

Thompson was arrested on Nov. 30 after investigators received a tip that he was hiding out at a relative's home in Towamencin Township, police said. Towamencin Police assisted Lansdale detectives in apprehending Thompson.

Police said that on Oct. 19, at 10 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 700 block of Willow Street for a report of a home invasion.

Two male suspects, identified as Thompson and Hailemicael, allegedly forced their way into an apartment and tied up a male victim, police said.

Thompson and Hailemicael allegedly asked the victim if he knew a certain individual, which the victim did not, police said.

Investigators discovered that the two were targeting a specific individual, but broke into the wrong apartment, police said.

Thompson and Hailemicael allegedly decided to rob the victim anyway of a TV, laptops, video game consoles and a cell phone, police said.

Before leaving, Hailemicael allegedly pointed the gun at the victim's head and told him things would "end badly" for him if he called the police, police said.

Lansdale investigators could not track down the individual being targeted, police said.

On Oct. 22, at 10 a.m., Lansdale Police responded to another report of a home invasion on the same street.

Thompson and Hailemicael allegedly forced their way into the victim's apartment armed with a gun, police said. The two allegedly tied up the female tenant and asked for a specific male, police said.

The female said she was the man's current girlfriend, police said. Thompson and Hailemicael allegedly tied her up with tape, police said.  

The two then allegedly robbed the apartment of electronics and money, police said.

The targeted male was not home at the time, police said. In each invasion, the victim provided the same descriptions of both suspects, police said.

After the second home invasion, the female victim contacted police to report someone was using her stolen Apple iPhone.

Investigators tracked the iPhone to the 300 block of Railroad Avenue in the West Ambler section of Whitpain Township, police said.

On Nov. 16, Lansdale and Whitpain police departments executed a search warrant at the Railroad Avenue address, identified as Thompson's home, police said.

Police recovered a stolen iPhone and identified Thompson as a suspect, police said. Hailemicael was later identified as the second suspect through Thompson's phone records and cell tower pings.

Further investigation revealed Rocco was friends with the intended target of the home invasions, police said.

Rocco allegedly helped Thompson plan the home invasions, seeking drugs and cash, police said.

Rocco admitted to police on Nov. 30 that he planned and facilitated the home invasions with Thompson, police said.

Hailemicael remains at large and his current location is unknown.  If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of Zakarias Hailemicael, please call the Lansdale Police Department Street Crimes Unit at (215) 368-1801 or crimetips@lansdalepd.org.