Falls Township police released surveillance images of the suspect who fled a retail theft and dodged an officer Thursday evening.
Police said they are seeking the suspect’s name and whereabouts. They released a photo of the suspect along with surveillance video of the man and the black Jeep he was last seen driving. Two of the images were taken Thursday around 6:30 p.m., minutes before Officer Stephanie Metterle and a civilian were badly injured in a three-vehicle crash on North Oxford Valley Road as she tried to stop the suspect’s vehicle.
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When Metterle was involved in the crash, she was attempting to stop the suspect’s black Jeep as he drove north of North Oxford Valley Road after fleeing the Best Buy on Commerce Boulevard, police said.
Lt. Hank Ward said Thursday night that a preliminary investigation noted a vehicle turned in front of Metterle as she was pursuing the fleeing Jeep.
The black Jeep may be in North Philadelphia, police said.
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In court papers filed Friday and obtained by LevittownNow.com, the driver of the Jeep was allegedly attempting to use a fraudulent driver’s license to receive a credit card. Staff at Best Buy caught onto the scheme and advised the man they were calling police, which is when he fled the store.
Kenneth Blake, 28, and Arius Haynes, 37, both of Philadelphia, were arrested following the retail theft call at the Best Buy. They are accused of coming in with a group and being connected to the man who fled in the Jeep.
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Haynes, according to police, claimed he owned the Jeep and the man who fled had stolen it. He said he met the man and was offered $20 to give him a ride to Best Buy.
Police stated they suspected Blake and Haynes were being deceptive during their interview.
Two females with the group that walked into Best Buy were questioned and one was determined to be a missing 15-year-old girl from Somerset County, New Jersey.
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During further conversations with the group, investigators determined the group left from a single location in North Philadelphia before arriving in Falls, police said.
Anyone with information on the suspect is asked to contact Detective Steve Reeves 215-302-3305 or email reevespd@fallstwp.com.
