Philadelphia man accused of stealing purse at BJ’s Wholesale Club, police say

A Philadelphia man was arrested by Montgomery Township Police after allegedly stealing a purse from a woman at BJ’s Wholesale Club in Montgomery Township and attempting to use her credit card at a nearby Wegman’s to buy gift cards.

Officers responded at 2:12 p.m. to the 640 Cowpath Road location after the victim reported that a man had grabbed her purse and fled. A witness chased the man, later identified as Brian Edward Davis, 58, and recovered the purse after Davis abandoned it. The victim reported that only a Discover credit card was missing from her belongings, police said.

Police said additional calls from motorists reported a reckless driver matching Davis’s description traveling south on Bethlehem Pike in a black Kia Optima with no registration plate. Officers later located the vehicle parked in the Wegman’s lot at 804 Bethlehem Pike. 

Davis was positively identified by the victim and taken into custody. The missing credit card was found under the defendant’s vehicle, police said.

Investigators determined that Davis attempted to purchase two VISA gift cards totaling $713.90 using the stolen credit card at Wegman’s, per the affidavit. The vehicle he was driving displayed an upside-down Pennsylvania registration that had expired in June 2025 and was suspended for insurance cancellation. Police also noted the car had dark window tint.

Davis, of the 1300 block of West Silver Street in Philadelphia, faces multiple charges, including felony access device fraud, felony receiving stolen property, felony forgery, misdemeanor theft, misdemeanor retail theft, and misdemeanor identity theft, as well as several vehicle-related summary offenses.

He was jailed on $10,077 cash bail, which included a probation/parole detainer. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 9 before Magisterial District Judge Andrea Duffy.

All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.