Two Nabbed in String of Jewelry Store Heists, Palmer Police Say

Two men have been charged in a string of jewelry store heists, including a burglary last fall at a Palmer Township jewelry store.

Ryan John Wiley, 23, of Doylestown, and Phillip Anthony Prokop, 38, of North Wales were charged Friday with burglarizing the Beverly Palm Jewelers in Palmer, township police said. The two also are accused in jewelry store heists in Bucks and Montgomeries counties.

Wiley was identified as a customer in the Beverly Palm Jewelers store on William Penn Highway on Oct. 5 and as the person inside the business in the early morning hours of Oct. 6, smashing the jewelry cases and removing numerous pieces of jewelry, Palmer Sgt. Timothy Ruoff said in a press release.

He said that Wiley and Prokop planned the burglaries with Prokop being the getaway driver.

Both are being held in Bucks County Prison for charges related to heists in Bucks and Montgomery counties, police said.

For the Palmer case, Wiley was arraigned Friday in Bucks County district court and charged with burglary, criminal trespass, theft by unlawful taking, possessing instruments of a crime, criminal mischief, and criminal conspiracy. Wiley’s bail was set at $500,000.

Prokop was arraigned March 11 in Bucks County district court and charged with criminal conspiracy to commit burglary, criminal trespass, theft by unlawful taking, possessing instruments of a crime, criminal mischief, and receiving stolen property. Prokop’s bail was also set at $500,000.

The pair’s Palmer Township charges have been transferred to Bucks County for all criminal proceedings. Preliminary hearings have been scheduled in Bucks County Magisterial District Court, Ruoff said.

An investigation by authorities in Bucks and Montgomery counties led to the arrests, the press release stated.