Lower Providence Officers Honored For Role In Capturing Suspect

LOWER PROVIDENCE, PA — The township Board of Supervisors, during its recent regular meeting, recognized a handful of local police officers for their role in apprehending a person suspected in a rash of residential burglaries throughout the township and across Montgomery County last year.

The supervisors, on July 15, awarded a distinguished unit commendation to six Lower Providence officers for helping to catch the suspect, Junine Marion Garnett, who has been charged with eight burglaries and eight suspected burglaries that took place both in Lower Providence and in other nearby municipalities.

The following members of the police department were honored: Detective Scott Dreibelbis, Officer Niles Luong, Detective Charles King, Detective Michael Nastasi, Detective Sergeant Michael Higgins and Officer Eric Honick.

Five out of the six honored officers were in attendance at the supervisors’ meeting; Officer Honick was unable to attend.

Police Chief Michael Jackson, who read off the commendation during the meeting, said that it all began back on Sept. 12, 2020, when Lower Providence officers were dispatched to reports of multiple residential burglaries at homes on Lloyd Lane in the township.

One week later, on Sept. 19, 2020, Officers Honic and Luong were on patrol when they encountered Garnett, whose description matched that of a person identified through a crime bulletin that had recently been released regarding the burglaries.

Due to a lack of probable cause, the two officers released Garnett after making contact with him, and the information was passed along to township detectives, according to Jackson.

Detectives spent the next three months investigating the case, conducting surveillance activities and developing probable cause in order to eventually charge Garnett with the burglaries.

Jackson said Garnett subsequently fled the area, and Lower Providence police sought the help of the United States Marshals Service, who helped track down and apprehend the suspect on May 18, 2021. The individual was arrested without incident in Harrisburg, Pa.

In reading the supervisors’ commendation to the officers, Jackson said it was a concerted joint effort that eventually helped bring the suspect to justice.

“I congratulate each and every one of you,” Jackson told the officers.

Jackson said three elements led to the capture: “proactive patrol work, diligent and thorough investigation and teamwork.

“I thank you for your efforts,” Jackson said. “Great job.”

The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office had announced Garnett’s arrest back in late May.

According to a press release at the time, the burglaries and attempted burglaries all happened between August and September 2020, while the occupants of the homes were asleep inside.

The homes were located in Collegeville, East Norriton, Lower Providence, Trappe and West Norriton in Montgomery County.

Investigators discovered a common scheme to the burglaries, with Garnett allegedly gaining entry through unlocked windows and doors, and once inside, ransacking various rooms in the homes to steal easily transported items, such as cash, jewelry, documents and purses, according to the DA’s office.

In one of the incidents, a homeowner confronted the suspect, sending the man to flee in a black Mercury Milan. Police eventually located the vehicle, and tracked it down as belonging to Garnett’s mother, according to prosecutors.

“These burglaries were opportunistic,” Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said in the May news release. “The defendant searched for unlocked doors and windows through which to gain entry to homes – he did not break any windows or pry open doors.”

Garnett was charged with multiple felony counts of burglary, attempted burglary, criminal trespass, as well as misdemeanor counts of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.

Garnett is currently remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility since he was unable to post bail following his arrest. A criminal docket sheet in the case shows that formal arraignment has been scheduled for Aug. 11.