WARRINGTON, PA — A 53-year-old man who showed up for a court hearing in September got more than he bargained for.
When Darius Jones of Philadelphia arrived for a court appearance on an unrelated matter, police said Jones was driving the same car and wearing some of the same accessories he wore while committing a series of retail thefts over the summer.
Two days after the hearing, police filed a criminal complaint in district court charging Jones in connection with the thefts, which took place over two months at the Wegmans store.
Police launched an investigation into the thefts after being called to the store on August 25.
The investigation revealed that on July 11, a man selected $40.49 worth of merchandise, placed the items into reusable bags, and proceeded to self-checkout. He then paid only for a 20-ounce soda before exiting the store without paying for the concealed merchandise.
On July 18, police said the same man returned and selected $126.97 worth of merchandise. He again paid only for a 20-ounce soda at self-checkout before leaving the store without paying for the concealed items.
On July 23, the man selected another $69.42 worth of merchandise and followed the same pattern, paying only for a 20-ounce soda before exiting the store.
On August 1, the man selected $108.05 worth of merchandise and again paid only for a 20-ounce soda before leaving. The four thefts totaled $344.93.
On August 13, the same man returned. This time, a store associate recognized the man and approached him in the self-checkout area. The man left the area, abandoning approximately $200 worth of crab legs.
Jones has been charged with retail theft and receiving stolen merchandise.
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