Credit: Falls Police
The man arrested following Wednesday night’s armed robbery in Falls is suspected in a string of at least seven armed robberies in recent months, police announced Thursday afternoon.
Roland “Woody” Woodward IV, 36 is charged with robbery, theft, aggravated assault, simple assault and other related crimes. He was arraigned before District Judge Charles W. Baum Thursday morning and sent to county jail on 10 percent of $250,000 bail.
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At an afternoon press conference in Lower Makefield, authorities detailed the seven armed holdups Woodward is accused of.
- Feb. 2013: Rite Aid at Bristol Commerce Center in Bristol Borough
- March 2013: Rite Aid at Bristol Commerce Center in Bristol Borough
- July 27, 2013: Rite Aid at Bristol Commerce Center in Bristol Borough
- Oct. 19, 2013: Rite Aid on New Falls Road in Falls Township
- Oct. 20, 2013: CVS on Oxford Valley Road in Lower Makefield Township
- Oct. 22, 2013: Rite Aid on Stony Hill Road in Lower Makefield Township
- Oct. 30, 2013: County Farms on Makefield Road in Falls Township
In every robbery the method and suspect description was similar. The blue medical gloves used in the robberies made Woodward distinct, police said.
Credit: Lower Makefield Police
A friend of Woodward’s told police they both had an addiction to prescription Percocet, court papers state.
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Woodward’s robbery spree, according to police, fell apart Wednesday night after he robbed the Country Farms Market on Makefield Road at around 8:30 p.m.
According to court papers, investigators from Falls and Lower Makefield used text messages between Woodward and his alleged getaway driver to find out where he fled following the armed robbery of the Country Farms Market.
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Officers were able to locate Woodward as they pulled up to the same location the suspect told his getaway driver to pick him up at in texts. Four members of law enforcement exited their vehicle as Woodward began to walk toward the vehicle, and he immediately tried to flee on foot when he noticed the car was filled with lawmen, police said.
Credit’: Lower Makefield Police
Woodward was captured after a short foot pursuit and discovered the fully loaded handgun used in the robbery in his pocket, according to court papers. The stolen money – $631 – was also reported to have been found on Woodward.
Authorities said Woodward was wearing the same clothes he was spotted sporting at the time of the robbery. They also added that he did not have a valid permit to carry the handgun.
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The getaway driver in Wednesday night’s robbery has not yet been charged with any crime. He told police Woodward, a friend since he was 14, asked him to wait behind the store while he went in the Country Farms to “get some money.” Woodward was apparently spooked after cops arrived seconds after the robbery and ran instead of using his getaway driver. An arriving police officer stopped the driver after he saw his pickup drive off shortly after the robbery.
Woodward is listed on court papers as living in the Langhorne section of Middletown, however, police said Thursday afternoon they believe he has been living with a friend in a townhome neighborhood off Oxford Valley Road in Lower Makefield. As of 2:30 p.m., authorities were serving a search warrant on the residence.
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Falls Lt. Hank Ward told LevittownNow.com that Bristol Township police are investigating if Woodward is behind two armed robberies in their community.
Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
