Police Nab Three Theft Suspects After Pursuit

Three suspects — two who are convicted thieves and one headed to trial on separate theft charges — in Sunday afternoon's retail theft at Olly Shoes at Airport Square in Montgomery Township, and subsequent crash and foot pursuit with police, are in custody and face numerous misdemeanor offenses.

Arrested in the incident Sunday afternoon were:

• Jhalil Melquan Washington (aka Jhalil Purnell), 22, of Philadelphia

• Shyfeanah Purnell, 23, of Philadelphia

• Maya Nichole Bennett (aka Asia Wright aka Anaya Bennett), 25, of Philadelphia

Washington and Purnell are charged with the following misdemeanor offenses:

• Retail Theft
• Conspiracy to Commit Retail Theft
• Receiving Stolen Property
• Unlawful Possession of Retail/Library Theft Instruments (Theft detection shielding device or a theft detection deactivation device)
• Possession of an Instrument of Crime With Intent
• Resisting Arrest

Bennett is charged with the following offenses:

• Retail Theft
• Conspiracy to Commit Retail Theft
• Receiving Stolen Property
• Unlawful Possession of Retail/Library Theft Instruments (Theft detection shielding device or a theft detection deactivation device)
• Possession of an Instrument of Crime With Intent
• Resisting Arrest
• Fleeing or Eluding Police
• Reckless Driving

All three were arraigned before District Judge Scott Palladino in Pottstown on Sunday. All three remain incarcerated at Montgomery County prison.

All three face preliminary hearings on Nov. 27 at 10:15 a.m. before District Judge Andrea Duffy in Montgomeryville.

According to court records, Officer Timothy Woch was the arresting officer.

Montgomery Township Police Chief Scott Bendig said Woch pulled over the black Jetta following a report of a retail theft from Olly Shoes. The Jetta was occupied by the suspects, with Bennett driving.

Bennett allegedly fled from the traffic stop and Woch followed, ending his pursuit at the township line with Lower Gwynedd.

The vehicle crashed and the suspects fled in Lower Gwynedd Township before being taken into custody. At least one suspect was tasered by police, according to reports.

Lower Gwynedd Township Police and Pennsylvania State Police assisted in the pursuit and apprehension of the suspects, according to Bendig.

Washington has had seven criminal cases come before the Common Pleas Court in Pennsylvania since September 2008, according to court records.

Washington is awaiting a December 2012 trial on a felony drug manufacture and delivery charge, misdemeanor retail theft charge and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance charge from an April 2011 arrest in Upper Merion, according to court records.Washington was found guilty of retail theft at a trial in July 2012 in Philadelphia and was sentenced to a maximum of nine months probation, according to court records.

In all other offenses, Washington had charges withdrawn at the common pleas level.

Purnell pleaded guilty to retail theft and conspiracy to commit retail theft in August 2011 in Upper Merion, and spent 41 days in prison, beginning in July 2012, according to court records. Purnell is also serving two years’ probation at present.

Bennett has had five criminal cases come before the Common Pleas Count in Pennsylvania since December 2007, according to court records.

Bennett has an open criminal case in Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas from an August 2012 arrest in West Pottsgrove on retail theft and receiving stolen property charges, according to court records.

Sunday Evening story

Three suspects in a retail theft in Montgomery Township were captured by police following a car chase and foot pursuit in Lower Gwynedd — and at least one suspect was tasered.

According to reports from MontcoAlerts Twitter, two black males and a black female fled from a traffic stop in a black Volkswagen Jetta southbound on Route 309 Sunday afternoon.

The suspects reportedly stole about $2,000 in clothing from Olly Shoes in Airport Square, according to communication on Montgomery County Police radio.

The Jetta crashed and flipped over at mile marker 9.6 on Route 309 in Lower Gwynedd around 3:36 p.m., according to reports. Lower Gwynedd Township Police then pursued the three suspects on foot into the woods near Dager Road, according to reports.

The female was taken into custody around 3:45 p.m., per reports.

At least one of the male suspects was tasered, according to reports.

PennStar was called in to assist in the search, according to reports.