K9 Nabs Robbery Suspect After Eastern Montco CVS Hit Saturday Night

ABINGTON, PA — Police in this eastern Montgomery County community had to call in assistance from a neighboring town's K9 unit after a man held up a local pharmacy and then led police on a chase.

The Abington Township Police Department said officers were called out to the CVS at 2870 Moreland Road after a report of a robbery a little before midnight Saturday.

Store employees reported that a man came into the CVS demanding cash from the register, while implying that he had a firearm.

After he took the cash till, the man, identified as 34-year-old Jerome Sanders of Philadelphia, fled the store in a dark Honda sedan, heading eastbound on Moreland Road, and ultimately making his way to southbound Old York Road where he was spotted by an Abington officer on patrol.

The officer attempted to stop Sanders, but Sanders eventually stopped at Myrtle and Runnymede Avenues and ditched his car, fleeing on foot and leaving a female passenger behind, according to a police report about the incident.

Officers, aided by members of neighboring law enforcement agencies, set up a perimeter and called in assistance from the K9 unit with the Lower Merion Police Department.

Police said Sanders was eventually located with the help of the K9 dog and then pursued on foot through the backyards of various homes along Runnymede Avenue.

He was last spotted along a set of SEPTA railroad tracks and was apprehended after the K9 was sent to track him, police said.

Officers said they discovered a large amount of cash, (the exact amount was not specified), on the female passenger, who was also taken into custody without incident.

The woman was identified as Sharita White, 36, also of Philadelphia.

According to court records, Sanders is being charged with two felony counts each of robbery and conspiracy as well as misdemeanor counts of theft by unlawful taking, conspiracy, receiving stolen property, loitering, and fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer.

He was arraigned on Sunday afternoon before Magisterial District Court Judge Patrick Krouse.

Records show bail was originally set at $100,000 but later reduced to $75,000.

It appears Sanders was sent to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in lieu of posting bail.

A criminal docket sheet for White shows that she was charged with two felony counts of conspiracy along with one misdemeanor conspiracy count.

White was also arraigned before Judge Krouse on Sunday afternoon and sent to county prison after failing to post the same amount of bail as was assigned to Sanders.

Both defendants are scheduled for preliminary hearings on Sept. 27 before Magisterial District Judge John D. Kessler.