Man with 15 Prior Retail Theft Convictions Charged Another 17 Times for Retail Theft Since June

A Philadelphia man is facing charges after he allegedly stole more than $340 worth of merchandise from the Wawa on Bethlehem Pike in Lower Gwynedd Township.

Police were called to the scene at 1:20 p.m. on Aug. 24 for a report of a retail theft. Store personnel told responding officers that a man — later identified as 43-year-old Joshua Burden — began to pay for his merchandise at the credit card terminal but instead exited the store with the merchandise without paying, according to charging documents.

Stolen items included three cartons of cigarettes and multiple food items, totaling $344.28, police said.

Burden was taken into custody on Sept. 6 and charged with felony counts of retail theft and receiving stolen property. He’s currently being held at the county jail and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 22 at 11 a.m. in front of District Judge James Gallagher.

The criminal complaint notes Burden has 15 prior retail theft convictions across Pennsylvania. Further review of court records shows he has been arrested for retail theft an additional 16 times since June across Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware counties — not including the Lower Gwynedd arrest.

The incidents are as follows:

• June 20 – Burden is accused of retail theft in West Norriton Township
• June 26 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Chester Heights Borough
• June 28 – Burden Is accused of retail theft in Upper Makefield Township
• July 4 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Falls Township
• July 9 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Lower Southampton
• July 13 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Upper Dublin Township
• July 15 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Lower Providence Township
• Aug. 6 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Newtown Township
• Aug. 7 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Falls Township
• Aug. 12 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Middletown Township
• Aug. 15 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Falls Township
• Aug. 21 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Tredyffrin Township
• Aug. 25 – Burden is accused of retail theft in East Whiteland Township
• Aug. 29 – Burden is accused of retail theft in West Whiteland Township
• Sept. 1 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Bensalem Township
• Sept 4 – Burden is accused of retail theft in Whitemarsh Township

None of the dockets show an arrest being made on the date of the alleged offense, meaning charges were filed and he was arraigned after the fact. In each case, Burden was charged with at least one count of felony retail theft, and most dockets carry additional counts of receiving stolen property and related offenses.

Since Burden was taken into custody on Sept. 6, court records show a variety of bail settings and adjustments across the 17 cases in four counties. Each active case has its own bail setting, with the range spanning $100 up to 10% of $30,000 cash.

All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records and the affidavit of probable cause. This story was updated to reflect the child's current custody status.

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