Alcohol Thefts Escalate Into Police Chase Down Rt. 3

NEWTOWN SQUARE–On Aug. 21 at approximately 6:07 p.m., responded to the  on Alpha Drive in Newtown Square for a reported theft. 

According to the incident report, the original call involved an older man that had fled the store after failing to pay for two bottles of alcohol–one valued at $49.99 and another valued at $59.99. 

The store manager observed the man enter a Toyota Avalon and flee towards  off of the 3500 block of West Chester Pike, according to the report. 

A officer was also around the area completing a transport in Newtown Township when he observed the same man run onto the Dunwoody property, said police in the report.

Marple police were finally able to locate the vehicle exiting the Dunwoody property and head east on West Chester Pike. In an attempt to stop the man, the police officer activated their emergency lights and followed the vehicle eastbound on West Chester Pike.

However, the man entered the right side road berm and began passing vehicles at nearly 80 mph in a 40 mph speed zone, according to the report. The man continued to elude police and turned onto Springfield Road while maintaining the same high rate of speed, according to the report.

The vehicle ended up driving onto a private yard, sustaining a flat tire, and came to a stop just prior to crashing into a unmarked Marple police vehicle, according to the report.

Two men, Terrence Alexander and Terrence Alexander Jr., of Philadelphia, were both inside the vehicle and arrested. Police received a search warrant and discovered an additional 15 bottles of alcohol, valued at approximately $1,000, in the vehicle trunk.

Terrence Alexander Jr., 25, was arrested on a felony charge of Conspiracy–Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Officer and a misdemeanor charge of Conspiracy–Recklessly Endangering Another Person, and three summary charges of Retail Theft-Take Mdse, Reckless Driving, and Conspiracy–Exceed Max Speed Lim Estb By 40 MPH.

A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Aug. 22, in which Magisterial District Judge Leon Hunter set Alexander Jr.'s bail for $50,000 with a 10 percent cash option. Alexander Jr. was able to post bail the same day. A preliminary hearing has been continued from Aug. 30 to Sept. 13.

Terrence Alexander, 51, was arrested on a felony charge of Conspiracy–Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Officer and a misdemeanor charge of Conspiracy–Recklessly Endangering Another Person, and three summary charges of Retail Theft-Take Mdse, Reckless Driving, and Conspiracy–Exceed Max Speed Lim Estb By 40 MPH.

A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Aug. 22, in which Judge Hunter set Alexander's bail for $75,000 with a 10 percent cash option. Alexander was unable to post bail. A preliminary hearing was continued to Aug. 30, in which Judge Hunter reduced Alexander's bail to $25,000 with a 10 percent cash option. Alexander was unable to post bail and remains in Delaware County Prison. A formal arraignment for Alexander has been scheduled for Sept. 27.