Chester man facing theft charges
Published: Thursday, November 26, 2009
By ROSE QUINN
rquinn@delcotimes.com
BROOKHAVEN — A 23-year-old Chester man was jailed Friday, charged with 38 thefts from vehicles in the borough and neighboring Parkside.
Jedidiah Boyle, of the 200 block of Parkway Avenue, was stopped by a Parkside officer while he was walking in the area of Forrestview Road and Edgmont Avenue, about 3:30 a.m., according to Brookhaven Chief John Eller and court documents.
The routine pedestrian stop was initiated by Officer Mark Marchesi and included a few questions, including permission to look in the man’s backpack.
Inside the backpack were a GPS and a radar detector that Boyle said he’d just purchased from a friend. There was also several dollars in loose change in the backpack.
Marchesi asked Boyle if he would return with him to Brookhaven police headquarters, to which Eller said Boyle agreed.
At Brookhaven police headquarters, Investigator Randolph McGoldrick read Boyle his Miranda Warnings and proceeded to conduct an interview. During that interview, Eller said Boyle allegedly confessed to 30 thefts and six attempted thefts in Brookhaven, and two thefts in Parkside.
Boyle allegedly said he left his Chester residence about 3 a.m. with the intention of coming to Brookhaven to steal from cars, according to the affidavit of probable cause for arrest.
He said he primarily took tools, electronics and change from unlocked vehicles. Most of the items, he said, were subsequently sold in Philadelphia to support his drug habit.
According to Eller, Boyle told McGoldrick he has targeted the Brookhaven and Parkside areas since Nov. 6.
Boyle’s parents agreed to a search of their residence, where about $15,000 in reported stolen items were recovered in the attic. Stolen tools were also found behind a bush in Chester Park, which borders Parkway Avenue.
Boyle is facing a total of 112 counts of multiple offenses, including theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, loitering and prowling at night, access device fraud and attempted theft by deception. His bail was set at $15,000 cash, which he failed to post. A preliminary hearing is scheduled Dec. 2.
Recovered items are at Brookhaven police headquarters. Eller said anyone who has had items removed from their vehicles during the month of November can call during business hours for information.
In addition to Marchesi and McGoldrick, Officers Gregory Martin, Timothy Habich and F. Scott Ely assisted in the investigation.