SAINT CLAIR - A Port Carbon man was jailed after being arrested by Saint Clair police on Sunday in connection with a theft at Wal-Mart.
Police said Jamie P. Robbins, 33, of 70 S. Coal St., Apt. 2, was arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua, on charges of retail theft and receiving stolen property.
He was then committed to Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $10,000 straight cash bail.
Police Chief Michael Carey said he charged Robbins in connection with an incident between 8 p.m. and 8:47 p.m.
Carey said he was on patrol in the parking lot of the Coal Creek Commerce plaza where the Wal-Mart is located and received a report of suspicious activity involving a gold minivan. The caller told Schuylkill County 911 dispatchers that a passenger in the vehicle came out of Wal-Mart without paying for items including television sets.
After receiving a description of the alleged thief, Carey said he knew the van is owned by Robbins' girlfriend because she and Robbins were the subject of other criminal investigations at Wal-Mart.
Dispatchers said the vehicle was at Route 61 and West Russell Street in Saint Clair and Carey said he proceeded to the apartment building in Port Carbon where he knew the two lived.
Carey said he was able to stop the van in Port Carbon and, inside in plain view, were six items that were taken from the store.
After he was arrested, Carey said Robbins admitted taking the items without paying for them.
The items included a Vizio 47-inch television, a Vizio 42-inch television, and Skill and Black and Decker power tools.
The chief said the items taken were valued at $1,471.16.
Robbins will now have to answer to the charges before Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon.
Carey said additional charges will be filed against Robbins in connection with the investigation of five additional cases that he is involved in.
