Theft

A Norristown man was convicted in federal court Thursday of charges connected to following a tavern employee home, robbing him at gunpoint, then returning to the bar and stealing money from its safe. Marc Viney, 34, will serve prison time for robbery, criminal conspiracy to commit robbery, and possession of a firearm to commit a violent crime. He faces a stiffer sentence because the case was shifted from Montgomery County Court to U.S. District Court using the Hobbs Act, which a government website describes as prohibiting "actual or attempted robbery or extortion affecting interstate or foreign commerce.

Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey said Friday that theft allegations involving Officer Gerold Gibson - son-in-law of Gov. Corbett - were first brought to his attention in late fall by Gibson's commanding officer in the Narcotics Field Unit. Several of Gibson's fellow officers had voiced suspicions that Gibson, 43, was stealing clothing, sneakers, and jewelry from the homes of suspected drug dealers during raids and warrant executions, Ramsey and police sources said. "Obviously, we had to look into it," Ramsey said.

A former Pennsylvania Department of Transportation supervisor has been convicted by a Chester County jury of creating fake driver's licenses for criminals using the identities of innocent people. Khalif Abdullah Ali, 44, worked at the PennDot driver's license center in Frazer and used his position to make fake licenses with the photos of wanted criminals. One of the criminals was caught and testified against Ali. Others remain at large. Ali was convicted Wednesday of identity theft, tampering with public records, computer trespass, and related offenses.

While the woman chatted up an employee at the front of the Sam Ash Music store in Cherry Hill, her male accomplice used an unorthodox way to pull off the Christmastime heist: He stuck a saxophone down his pants. They came back three weeks later with their eyes on a bigger prize: a Les Paul guitar. Each time, they ran out the door to the getaway car, a black SUV. The Dec. 19 and Jan. 8 thefts have confounded police, who said they are looking for a man with a "heavy" South Philadelphia accent and a woman who was wearing a blue top. The two were seen in surveillance footage.

Laura Rogers-Fisher lived the high life. There were trips to the Bahamas, Las Vegas, and Mexico; expensive cars; World Series tickets; a suite at the Army-Navy game; home remodeling projects; and tuition paid to the Haverford School and Brown University for her son. Her activities were documented in photos and in the gifts she spread around the office of Sho Aids, a small business in Sharon Hill. On Friday, Rogers-Fisher pleaded guilty to theft, conspiracy, and forgery, and was sentenced to two to four years in state prison and five years' probation, and ordered to pay restitution for embezzling more than $660,000 from the company where she worked for 10 years and whose coworkers once considered her a "sister.

Chester County police are on the hunt for a man who they say robbed the Girl Scouts. About 5 p.m. Sunday at the Pathmark grocery at 450 W. Swedesford Rd. in Berwyn, a man came up to a table set up for cookie sales by Troop 4305. He reached into a cash box and grabbed about $20. At the same time he reached into a large plastic jar containing cash donations for the military and took an unknown amount. The man, described as being in his 20s or 30s, did not take any cookies. Police said that both adults and children were by the table at the time.

A New Jersey man has been arrested in the theft of four large flat-screen televisions from a Delaware County Walmart over a five-day period, police said Wednesday. Matthew Colleluori, 34, of Wildwood, was spotted by store security at the Marple store Tuesday attempting to leave with an unpaid item. He fled after a struggle with a security guard and drove off at high speed. His vehicle eventually crashed into two police cars as he tried to exit I-95 at Route 420. Empty packets of heroin were found in his car, according to court documents.

IDENTITY THEFT IS a crime that's easy to dismiss. Until it happens to you. Just imagine: You've filed your tax return and are eagerly awaiting your refund. It's money you desperately need to pay some bills or buy whatever you've been hankering for. But then you get a notice from the IRS saying that your return has been rejected. You won't be getting a refund because it already has been claimed. You've become a victim of identity theft. Now, identity theft becomes very real. And it's getting frustratingly real for a growing number of taxpayers.

A former Delaware County employee has been charged with stealing more than $160,000 from the Register of Wills office over six years. Christine Trout, 52, of Glenolden, a 32-year employee, surrendered to detectives Friday, District Attorney Jack Whelan said. She was arraigned and released on bail. Trout was charged with numerous felony counts of theft, receiving stolen property, unlawful use of a computer, and related crimes, according to court documents. Efforts to reach Trout and her attorney Friday were not successful.

A former Delaware County employee has been charged with taking about $160,000 in funds from the Register of Wills cash box. Christine Trout, 52, of Glenolden, a 32-year-employee, will be arraigned later today, according to District Attorney Jack Whelan. Trout will be charged with numerous felony counts of theft, receiving stolen property, unlawful use of a computer and other related crimes, Whelan said. Trout, was fired from her position as the former deputy director of the county's register of wills, when the thefts were uncovered during an independent audit.