Crime & Safety

Names of Willow Grove Burglary Suspects Released

Abington Police release the names of two of the three burglary suspects who crashed into a tree and two poles early Sunday morning.

One of the three men involved in an following an alleged burglary in the Willow Grove section of Abington was arraigned at bedside in Abington Memorial Hospital yesterday, according to police.

Randolph Nolan Trinidad, 19, of North Carlisle Street, Philadelphia, was arraigned by District Justice John Kessler; his bail was set at $100,000. The driver of the car, Robert Matthew Carroll, 24, of Bayard Street, Philadelphia, was “medically unable to be arraigned” but remains under police guard at the hospital, according to an Abington Police press release.

The third suspect, a 17-year-old man, remains at the hospital and will be processed as a juvenile upon release. All three are being charged with burglary and related offenses.

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Carroll has a lengthy criminal history including a June 2010 arrest for burglary and a July 2010 arrest for robbery. He pled guilty in both cases, according to court documents.

Trinidad does not appear to have a criminal history.

Find out what's happening in Upper Moreland-Willow Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The crash stems from a burglary on Gohn Drive and an attempted burglary on Fitzwatertown Road.

According to police, a resident in the 1800 block of Fitzwatertown Road called police at about 4:50 a.m. Sunday after he saw a tall, slender man outside his window. The resident called 9-1-1, and the suspect fled when he saw the resident shine a flashlight in his direction.

As they were responding to the scene, police saw a dark Chrysler Sebring driving quickly in the opposite direction on Old Welsh Road — coming from the direction of the attempted burglary, according to an Abington Police press release. Another police officer saw the Sebring blow a red light at the corner of Old York and Old Welsh roads. The Sebring then crashed into a tree and two utility poles.

All three were taken to Abington Memorial Hospital and were in critical condition — under police guard. 

Scattered in the car were several power tools. According to the press release, the owners of a house in the 2900 block of Gohn Drive in Willow Grove reported that their home had been burglarized. 

The owners of the home positively identified the tools in and around the Sebring as being theirs. 

Entrance to the Gohn Drive home had been made by cutting a screen and raising a window; according to the resident in the 1800 block of Fitzwatertown Road, the suspect had attempted to pry the screen off.


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