Police arrested two people, Brandon Braxton,19, of Philadelphia, and Ashley Jones, 23, of Drexel Hill, on May 30, 2012, and charged them with Retail Theft for trying to walk out of the Lord & Taylor in Bala Cynwyd with about $1,559.00 worth of merchandise. According to police, the two were running a scam where Jones would grab some merchandise and take it to a cash register which was operated by Braxton. Braxton allegedly didn’t ring the items up and put them in a bag for Jones who then attempted to exit the store. No doubt the two were also additionally charged with Criminal Conspiracy in that they agreed beforehand to plan the theft.
In Pennsylvania, theft in the amount of $1,559.00 is graded as a felony, so these two are looking at the possibility of something very unsavory winding up on their criminal records if convicted. Considering how young the two are there is a remote chance that one or both of them have no criminal record. If this is the case, one or both may be eligible for the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program, also known as ARD, which is a diversionary program that could allow for a dismissal and expungement of the charges upon the completion of non reporting probation and community service.
The crime of Retail Theft is accelerating in locations like the Limerick Outlets, King of Prussia Mall, Ardmore, Lower Merion, and Upper Merion. Both Braxton and Jones will appear for a Preliminary Hearing in Bala Cynwyd District Court at a time to be set by District Magistrate Barbara Zucker.