Man Arrested in Alleged Elkins Park Armed Robbery

A Philadelphia man was charged with robbery and weapons offenses after he allegedly robbed a 69-year-old clerk in the Sunoco Mini-Mart gas station in the 200 block of Township Line Road in Elkins Park early Friday morning; he was arrested Monday after he was taken into custody by his parole officer and turned over to Abington Police.

According to police, Anthony J. Roberts of Hasbrook Avenue, entered the Mini-Mart at about 4:15 a.m. on Friday, pointed a small, black semi-automatic handgun at the face of the clerk and said, “Get the money!” Roberts then forced the clerk behind the counter and made him open the register, police said. Roberts, 29, also produced a stun gun and threatened to either shoot or taze the clerk if he did not open the safe, police said. Roberts then took about 10 packs of cigarettes, the keys to the store and an undisclosed amount of money and fled in what was later determined to be a small white car, according to police.

At about 8:45 a.m., the same morning, police responded to an “intoxicated person” at the Lukoil Mini-Mart gas station in the 1400 block of Old York Road in Abington. As police approached, a white Chevrolet Sonic with New Jersey registration drove out of the lot “extremely recklessly,” on the wrong side of the road, driving through stop signs and red lights. 

Due to the reckless driving, police abandoned the pursuit. However, a computer check revealed that the Sonic had been stolen earlier in the morning from Philadelphia; a comparison of video surveillance showed the same car and the same suspect at both locations, police said.

The Sonic was abandoned in the Glenside section of Cheltenham. According to police, the stolen Sunoco keys were found inside the car.

Abington Police positively identified Roberts as the suspect in the crimes; he was taken into custody on Monday, arraigned and is currently in custody in lieu of $100,000 cash bail. 

Roberts’ preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 27 before District Justice Juanita Price.