A man has been accused of concealing more than $1,700 in circuit breakers inside an $18 flush-mount ceiling light box that he purchased at the Lowe’s on Cowpath Road in Montgomery Township Dec. 23, as well as driving a minivan with stolen registration.
Jamal R. Urubshurow, 48, of no fixed address, was charged by Montgomery Township Police with felony retail theft and misdemeanor receiving stolen property, according to court records.
On Dec. 23, at 10:51 a.m., police were dispatched to the home improvement store at 630 Cowpath Road for a theft in progress. Asset protection told police that they were viewing security footage remotely of a suspect, identified as Urubshurow, concealing 24 circuit breakers into the box that he had not yet purchased, per the complaint. Urubshurow had prior run-ins with Lowe’s asset protection, police said.
Asset protection told police the defendant arrived in a gold 2000 Toyota Sienna van, and police found the Pennsylvania registration was reported stolen by Philadelphia Police on Dec. 12, according to the affidavit.
While police were en route, asset protection advised that Urubshurow allegedly scanned the box with the stolen circuit breakers at the self-checkout, paying $17.98 for the box and not the stolen merchandise.
Police waited outside for Urubshurow to exit the store, and he was stopped outside of the main exit, pushing a cart with the light box being the only item, police said. The box had extra tape on all corners and edges in an effort from preventing it to be opened easily, police allege.
The defendant was detained and the box was found to have 24 various types of circuit breakers inside, totaling $1,785.46, police said.
Urubshurow is free on $5,000 unsecured bail and a preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 14 at 10:45 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Andrea Duffy.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.