Lansdale Robbery Charges Against Hatfield Man Held for Court

A Hatfield man, who was tasered and arrested by Lansdale Police on charges of felony robbery in October, had all charges held over to county court Thursday morning at a preliminary hearing in Lansdale.

Stacy Maurice Beckett, 40, of the 100 block of Tulip Drive, allegedly robbed a 30-year-old Warrington woman at gunpoint on the unit block of Jenkins Avenue, near South Broad Street and Stanbridge Apartments, on Oct. 13.

Beckett is charged with felony robbery, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, harassment and disorderly conduct, according to court records.

Bail for Beckett remains at $250,000 cash.

At the hearing, Assistant District Attorney Rebecca Strubel said Beckett, through his public defender Stephen Walton, would stipulate to the affidavit of probable cause on all charges. Strubel said she had no objection to Beckett going back upstate to a state correctional facility on a parole violation detainer.

Walton said he stipulated that there was enough evidence to meet the burden of prima facie. He said Beckett "had a desire to go upstate."

Strubel said Beckett is serving a state sentence, and would be incarcerated at a state facility pending trial.

Beckett had an outstanding Pennsylvania Parole Board warrant at the time of his arrest, and a detainer was lodged against him, police said.

Beckett pleaded guilty in September 2008 to numerous felony theft and burglary charges from Lansdale Borough, and was sentenced to concurrent prison sentences totaling a maximum of three years.

Beckett has had 18 criminal offenses in Montgomery County court since 2000.

He pleaded guilty to use and possession of drug paraphernalia in December 2011 and was sentenced to 80 days in prison.

In July 2009, he pleaded guilty to felony fleeing or eluding an officer and was sentenced to 204 days in prison.

Beckett was tasered and arrested about 75 minutes after the 9 p.m. robbery on Oct. 13 on the unit block of East Second Street behind Citizens Bank, police said.

Lansdale Police responded to an armed robbery in the area of Jenkins Avenue and Broad Street, police said.

The victim had left the scene of the robbery and fled for her safety to the 7-Eleven at North Broad Street in Hatfield Township, police said.

The victim told police she pulled her car into the weekend overflow parking lot, shared by Montella's Pub and other area businesses, in order to go to work at Montella's Pub.

According to the affidavit, she parked in the rear of the lot against the fence that borders Stanbridge Apartments, about three spaces in from Jenkins Avenue.

The victim had her driver's side window halfway down, according to the affidavit.

A black male in a gray-hooded sweatshirt reached into her window, put a gun to her head, and demanded money, police said.

According to the affidavit, the victim knew it was a gun because it was against her head and it felt hard, like a gun.

According to the affidavit, the victim looked and saw the man leaning over and could not tell how tall he was. She told police the subject was about 25 to 30 years of age and had a heavy build.

The victim handed over her wallet, which contained $2 in cash, credit cards and driver's license, and checkbook, police said. He then asked for her Marlboro Menthol cigarettes, police said.

The suspect fled the scene and the victim fled in her car, for fear of her safety, police said.

Lansdale and Hatfield Township officers canvassed the area for the suspect.

A bouncer at Montella's Pub told police he saw a suspicious black male matching the description hanging out prior to the robbery at the Lukoil at Main and Broad, according to the affidavit.

The bouncer said it appeared the suspect was casing the area and felt the man was up to something, according to the affidavit.

The bouncer then contacted police minutes later, and told them the suspect had been seen on Jenkins Avenue, police said.

A Lansdale officer attempted to make a pedstrian stop, but the suspect, identified as Beckett, allegedly began to run, according to the affidavit.

Police caught up to him on the unit block of E. Second Street where he allegedly became uncooperative with police, police said.

Beckett was tasered and taken into custody. The victim was able to identify the suspect, who police recognized from prior contacts, as Beckett, police said.

On Beckett's person was a pack of Marlboro Menthol cigarettes and $2 in cash, according to the affidavit.

Sources told Patch Beckett was transported to Lansdale Hospital for treatment of sanitary issues by Volunteer Medical Service Corps of Lansdale after being tasered.