A July 24 armed robbery at the Express Fuel Mart in Glenside is among 12 robberies that police say are connected to Russell Mason-Watts and Tyreek Holmes. The two men were taken into custody in Philadelphia and charged in connection with eight robberies there and four in Montgomery County, according to the Abington Township Police Department.
Facial Coverings, a Handgun and a Sledgehammer
The Glenside Local reported that police identified the Express Fuel Mart at 2542 Jenkintown Road as the site of the robbery. Police said the men entered with their faces covered; one had a handgun, while the other carried a sledgehammer. Investigators said the sledgehammer was used to break open skill machines in the store and take money.
How Pennsylvania Classifies Skill-Game Machines
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has stated that both variants of the skill-game devices at issue constitute “slot machines” under the Gaming Act. Spotlight PA reported that an estimated 70,000 skill-game machines are operating in Pennsylvania.
Police later linked the Glenside incident to three other armed robberies in Montgomery County, bringing the total number of county cases attributed to the men to four. Investigators also connected the cases to eight robberies in Philadelphia.
A Joint Investigation Spanning Five Departments
The Glenside Local report said Abington, Springfield, Cheltenham, Rockledge and Philadelphia police departments took part in the investigation. Police identified Mason-Watts and Holmes as suspects in the linked robberies.
The breakthrough came on September 18, when participating agencies executed search warrants at the suspects' residences in Philadelphia. The searches resulted in the recovery of evidence linking both suspects to the robberies, police said, giving investigators enough to move forward with formal charges, as reported by Abington Township Police Department.
Charges Add Up Across Two Counties
Police said Mason-Watts and Holmes face charges in eight armed robberies in Philadelphia and four in Montgomery County, including the Express Fuel Mart case. They were detained and arraigned in Philadelphia, where bail was set at $500,000 cash for each, according to the police report.
The Abington Township Police Department said the Montgomery County charges are to be addressed at arraignments at a later date. The local case will proceed separately from the Philadelphia proceedings.
