Man Charged with Disposing Evidence in Lansdale Coin Shop Robbery Heads to Trial

A Lansdale man charged with felony hindering prosecution and apprehension of two of his alleged accomplices in the January robbery and assault at Hen's Coins and Collectibles on West Main Street waived his preliminary hearing Tuesday afternoon in Lansdale District Court.

Anthony Hughes, 25, of the unit block of West Third Street, had a misdemeanor charge of possession of a controlled substance withdrawn by the Commonwealth. The felony charge, a misdemeanor charge of tampering with evidence, and a misdemeanor charge of possession of a small amount of marijuana remain against him.

Hughes is also accused of disposing of a handgun and a knife in a Dumpster at Brookside Manor Apartments in the days following the robbery, according to court records. 

Hughes' girlfriend told police she and Hughes dumped the weapons at the apartment complex, where her parents live, according to the arrest affidavit.

Hughes remains free on bail, after posting $25,000 cash, according to court records.

An investigation into Hughes began following the arrests of Michael Creciun and Gene Kulp for the Jan. 21 robbery of Hen's Coins and Collectables, police said.

During an interview with Kulp, he told police that Creciun used a silver butterfly knife during the robbery, according to an affidavit. Kulp told police that Hughes picked Creciun and him up in close proximity to the Lansdale store, according to the affidavit.

Hughes brought both men back to his second floor apartment, police said.

Hughes then allegedly drove Creciun and Kulp to the Acme in Towamencin to cash in the stolen U.S. quarters from the robbery at a Coin Star machine, police said. 

Lansdale detectives obtained surveillance video that allegedly shows Hughes and Creciun entering the store together, according to the affidavit. Police said they recovered most of the stolen coins from the Coin Star machine.

Kulp told police that on Jan. 21 Creciun purchased a .40-caliber Ruger handgun from American Arms and Ammo in Hatfield Township, and he believed some of the money used to buy the gun was illegal proceeds from the robbery, according to the affidavit.

During a search warrant on the home of Creciun and Kulp on Jan. 22, police found an empty Ruger .40-caliber gun case, along with a receipt in Creciun's name dated Jan. 21 from a purchase from American Arms and Ammo, police said. One magazine for the handgun was also missing, police said. 

Police did not locate the knife at Creciun and Kulp's home, according to an affidavit. Creciun allegedly told police he left the gun and knife at a friend's house, but would not give them a name, according to the affidavit.

On Jan. 22, Lansdale detectives went to Hughes's apartment to speak with him, according to the affidavit. Hughes would not allow detectives inside his apartment, but agreed to speak with them outside.

Detectives asked Hughes if the gun and knife used in the robbery were inside his apartment, and Hughes said no, according to the affidavit.

Detectives advised Hughes that he would not be in trouble if there were items inside his apartment, as they needed them for evidence purposes, according to the affidavit.

Hughes told police he did not know what they were talking about and told them nothing from the robbery was in his apartment, according to the affidavit. 

Hughes also denied involvement or knowledge of the robbery, police said.

On Jan. 23, police received information from Hughes's girlfriend that Creciun's gun was at Hughes's apartment, according to the affidavit. 

Police were also informed that on the evening of Jan. 22, after police spoke with Hughes, he and his girlfriend allegedly threw the gun in a Dumpster at Brookside Manor Apartments, according to the affidavit.

Hughes's girlfriend drew police a map to show which Dumpster the gun could be found, police said.

Police searched the Dumpster on Jan. 23, but it was empty, police said.

On Jan. 29 at 6:24 p.m., police executed a search warrant on Hughes's apartment in order to locate a missing gun and knife, police said. Neither weapon was found in the search of the apartment.

Police did seize a bag of marijuana from Hughes's third floor bedroom, according to the affidavit.

Hughes admitted to police that he lied to detectives when he was initially asked if any items from the robbery were inside his apartment, according to the affidavit.

Hughes also lied to police about his alleged participation in the robbery, police said.

Hughes told police that Creciun left the gun and knife in his bedroom before going to Lansdale Police to apply for a gun permit on Jan. 22, according to the affidavit.

It was this application process that led police to the arrest of Creciun.

Hughes told police that after detectives left his apartment on Jan. 22, he put the gun and knife in a trash bag and dumped the bag at Brookside Manor, police said.

Read more on this case:

• Two Cousins Arrested in Hen's Coins Robbery
• Lansdale Coins and Collectables Shop Robbed Monday
• Second Alleged Hen's Coins Robber Heads to Trial
• Lansdale Man Charged in Hen's Coins Armed Robbery Heads to Trial
• Third Arrest Made in Hen's Coins Robbery
• Letter: Mother of Friend of Lansdale Robbery Suspect Defends Teen