Crime & Public Safety.
Eight people — seven from Norristown and one from Philadelphia — have been arrested and charged by Montgomery County Detectives and Norristown police with multiple carjackings and robberies across Philadelphia, Norristown, and Whitemarsh.
The arrests were announced Friday by District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Acting Norristown Police Chief James Angelucci.
Arrested were Anthony Lamont Bell, 19; Micus Golson, 17; Drehcir Brown, 18; David Anthony Demko Jr., 23; Elija Collazo Jr., 23; Victor Bell Jr., 20; Xavier Fuentes, 20, all of Norristown; and Jhalil Allen, 26, of Philadelphia. They are charged with assorted robbery, aggravated assault and theft charges.
The arrests linked the defendants through confiscated firearms to nine separate incidents of gun violence throughout Norristown, according to police.
“The arrest of these individuals marks a significant step in reducing violent crime in our communities,” said Steele, “Thanks to the diligent work of multiple law enforcement agencies, we have seen a nearly 70% decrease in shooting incidents detected by ShotSpotter since these arrests. This collaborative effort is a testament to our commitment to keeping our streets safe.”
According to a press release, the arrests follow an extensive investigation led by the Montgomery County Detective Bureau and the Norristown Police Department in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Office of Attorney General Gun Violence Task Force, Pennsylvania State Police, Whitemarsh Township Police Department, Philadelphia Police Department, Plymouth Township Police Department and the Pottstown Borough Police Department.
Law enforcement employed various surveillance and investigative techniques to track the activities and affiliations of individuals involved in these crimes.
The release stated:
On Jan. 24, the Philadelphia Police Department received a report of a stolen Chevrolet Cruze. While investigating, law enforcement determined that Anthony Bell utilized a social media account to post a video inside this stolen Cruze. This vehicle was used in a carjacking of a silver Infiniti QX80 on Jan. 28, 2024, in Philadelphia. As the investigation progressed, an overlap between the stolen Chevrolet Cruze and the current investigation was identified.
On Tuesday, Jan. 28, at approximately 6:16 p.m., the Norristown Police Department responded to the 200 block of East Oak Street in Norristown for a ShotSpotter detection of multiple gunshots. It was found that the carjacked 2016 Silver Infiniti QX80 was utilized during this shooting. When the driver attempted to flee, they crashed into another vehicle. The occupants exited that vehicle and carjacked a white Chevrolet pick-up truck and then fled the area. Anthony Bell was identified as a participant, police said.
As these individuals fled the area, they attempted to carjack two more vehicles in Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County and Philadelphia, according to police. The victims in the incident identified multiple masked and armed suspects. Once in Philadelphia, they successfully carjacked a Nissan Rogue, abandoning the pick-up truck. This victim detailed that four armed, unknown Black males approached him demanding the vehicle.
