Police Blotter: Two Women Charged with Thefts from Macy's

On Monday afternoon, Lower Merion police reported to news media the following incidents from the past week in the Ardmore-Merion-Wynnewood area:

Burglary: A Canon camera and gear were stolen from a home on the 200 block of Bowman Avenue in Merion sometime between noon and 1 p.m. May 17, police said. A $1,600 camera, a $1,200 lens, a $1,700 lens, a $280 camera flash and $85 bag were stolen from a mudroom in the back of the house, police said. It is unknown how entry was gained to the residence, police said. 

Public drunkenness: Joseph LoRusso, 21, of Oak Hill, VA, was stopped on Lancaster Avenue near Anderson Avenue about 2:18 a.m. May 18, police said. He was issued a citation for public drunkenness.

Theft: Two bicycles were reported stolen from the 200 block of Henley Road on May 18, police said. A purple adult women’s 18-speed bike and a boys’ red dirt-bike style bike were last seen in the side yard on May 17, police said. The women’s bike was worth about $50 and the boys’ bike was valued at $30, police said.

Public drunkenness: Paul Neill, 42, of the 500 block of Wynnewood Road in Merion, was stopped by police on May 18 at the Ardmore Train Station, police said. Neill was taken to the hospital for treatment and was issued a citation for public drunkenness, police said. 

Theft: A Garmin GPS and $16 in cash in a center console were stolen from a car in the B1 garage at Lankenau Hospital sometime between 6 p.m. May 17 and the next morning, police said. The car was left unlocked, police said.

Theft: A black mountain bike was stolen from Lower Merion High School on May 19, police said. The victim rode the bike to school and secure it to a light post, police said, but upon returning found the lock was still on the post but the bike was gone.

Theft: Eight tires and rims were stolen off of two cars in for repairs at the Main Line Infiniti service center on Sibley Avenue, police said. The thefts were discovered 2:24 p.m. May 20, police said. All four tires and rims were stolen from a black Infiniti M45 and from a gold Infiniti FX35, police said. It is unknown who took them, police said.

Retail theft: Police responded to Macy’s at 4:42 p.m. May 20 on a report of a theft in progress, police said. An officer stopped a woman fitting the description given to police after security personnel said she left with three overstuffed bags full of merchandise—worth $2,279.48—and fled through the courtyard after security asked the woman about security sensors on the items. The items were recovered and Jodi-Ann Whitelock, 23, of the 5900 block of Chester Avenue in Philadelphia, was charged with retail theft, police said. Employees said they had seen another woman with Whitelock, and police also stopped Rachel Burrell, 26, of the 300 block of West Spring Avenue in Ardmore. Burrell had a small Macy’s plastic bag with $130 worth of Nike apparel with no receipt, police said, and she was charged with retail theft. Across from where Burrell was found was $2,400 worth of merchandise in bags, police said.