Philly Man Has 18 Current Retail Theft Cases, 15 Convictions In Levittown Area & Beyond

By Keith Heffintrayer | North Penn Now

A Philadelphia man is facing a slew of cases after authorities say he was involved in retail thefts in the Levittown area and around the entire Philadelphia area.

According to court records, 43-year-old Joshua Burden, of Philadelphia, has totaled 18 pending retail theft cases. The latest case was docketed as this story was being prepared for publication.

One recent criminal complaint notes Burden has 15 prior retail theft convictions across Pennsylvania. Further review of court records shows he has been charged for retail theft an additional 18 times since June across Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware counties.

The incidents are as follows:

June 20 – Burden is accused of retail theft in West Norriton Township, Montgomery County
June 26 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Chester Heights Borough, Delaware County
June 28 – Burden Is accused of retail theft in Upper Makefield Township, Bucks County
July 4 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Falls Township, Bucks County
July 9 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Lower Southampton Township, Bucks County
July 13 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Upper Dublin Township, Montgomery County
July 15 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Lower Providence Township, Montgomery County
Aug. 6 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Newtown Township, Bucks County
Aug. 7 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Falls Township, Bucks County
Aug. 12 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Middletown Township, Bucks County
Aug. 15 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Falls Township, Bucks County
Aug. 21 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Tredyffrin Township, Chester County
Aug. 25 – Burden is accused of retail theft in East Whiteland Township, Chester County
Aug. 29 – Burden is accused of retail theft in West Whiteland Township, Chester County
Sept. 1 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Bensalem Township, Bucks County
Sept. 4 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County
Sept. 14 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Warrington Township, Bucks County

None of the dockets show an arrest being made on the date of the alleged offense, meaning charges were filed and he was arraigned after the fact. In each case, Burden was charged with at least one count of felony retail theft, and most dockets carry additional counts of receiving stolen property and related offenses.

Since Burden was taken into custody on Sept. 6, court records show a variety of bail settings and adjustments across the 17 cases in four counties. Each active case has its own bail setting, with the range spanning $100 up to 10 percent of $30,000.

In one of his most recent cases, Lower Gwynedd Township, Montgomery County police were called to the Wawa on Bethlehem Pike at 1:20 p.m. on Aug. 24 for a report of a retail theft. Store personnel told responding officers that Burden began to pay for his merchandise at the credit card terminal but instead exited the store with the merchandise without paying, according to charging documents.

Stolen items included three cartons of cigarettes and multiple food items, totaling $344.28, police said.

Burden is being held in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.