A Philadelphia man has been arrested in connection with thefts spanning three counties and totaling over $100,000, according to law enforcement.
Knieam Joshua Williams, 30, was arrested Tuesday morning near his Rennard Street home in Philadelphia on Tuesday by the Bensalem Township Special Investigations Unit and FBI special agents following a series of alleged thefts spanning several months.
Williams allegedly was involved in thefts from major retailers such as Home Depot, Lowes, and Harbor Freight stores across Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties.
Authorities said Williams often switched vehicles during his crime spree and on several occasions, drove a stolen U-Haul van, which was confiscated by the Philadelphia Police Department during the arrest.
Bensalem Township officers previously tried to stop Williams twice using traffic stops, but he fled each time, police said.
Since April 22, Williams is accused of committing thefts valued at over $8,000 in Bensalem Township alone. Items reported stolen include an array of power tools, from pressure washers and paint sprayers to chain saws and compressors, police said.
At the time of his arrest, Williams had 12 active arrest warrants issued across Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties.
As of Tuesday afternoon, he was the suspect in a felony retail theft earlier in the day in Montgomery Township. Court records show Williams was charged with felony retail theft and receiving stolen property, along with a misdemeanor count of fleeing from police and summary counts of making an illegal turn and failing to stop at a red light.
Williams is awaiting his preliminary arraignment in that case. New Jersey police departments are expected to file charges for similar thefts, authorities said.
In total, Williams has been linked to approximately 20 pending cases, with stolen merchandise estimated at over $100,000, police said.
Following his arrest in the city, Williams was transported to the Bensalem Township Police Department. He was subsequently preliminarily arraigned before District Justice Joseph Falcone in four cases. Williams was lodged at the Bucks County Correctional Facility on 10 of $250,000 bail.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using police reports, court records and the affidavit of probable cause.
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