Two area residents were arrested last week after Bristol Borough police alleged they broke into a business and stole merchandise.
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Last Thursday around 7 a.m., Bristol Borough police officers were called to the 200 block of Route 13 just past Bath Street for a theft of a cell phone. Dispatchers learned the phone was taken from a store and being tracked up Veterans Highway, police said.
The front entrance to the Metro T-Mobile store door was ajar and it appeared to be forced opened. The locks were found on the ground in front of the store, police said.
Police stated they found no people in the store and awaited a detective to arrive at the scene.
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While awaiting the detective, county dispatcher advised patrol officers that one of the stolen phones was being tracked to a location in the 2800 block of Old Rodgers Road in Bristol Township. An officer went there and spotted a blue Chevrolet Equinox SUV, but no suspects were located, police said.
At the store, a cell phone store employee advised investigators a number of phones, tablets, sim cars, and cash were taken from a locked box inside the business, police said.
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Surveillance video reviewed showed a male and a female suspect with an Equinox parked outside, police said.
Dispatchers reported the phone tracker showed the device was moving southbound on I-95, which led to Bensalem Township, Philadelphia, and state police being advised of the incident, police said.
At 8:42 a.m., Philadelphia police officers reported they had stopped the Equinox and suspects along Torresdale Avenue. They reported having a man and woman in custody, and asked Bristol Borough police to respond, authorities said.
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Bristol Borough investigators identified the two suspects – John Thomas Mathis, 40, of Fairless Hills, and Ashley May Hicks, 32, of Bristol Borough – and brought them back to Bucks County, police said.
The Equinox was towed from the scene, and several T-Mobile boxes and sim cards were seen in the vehicle, police said.
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The two suspects were preliminarily arraigned on charges of burglary, receiving stolen property, theft, criminal trespassing, and criminal mischief. Hicks was additionally charged with conspiracy to commit burglary and false swearing. The two were sent to the Bucks County Correctional Facility on 10 percent of $40,000 bail by District Judge Frank Peranteau.
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.
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