The Abington Township Police Department announced today the arrests of Russell Mason-Watts and Tyreek Holmes for committing an armed robbery at the Express Fuel Mart, located at 2542 Jenkintown Road in Glenside, on July 24.

According to the report, Mason-Watts and Holmes entered the store wearing facial coverings.

“One was armed with a handgun, while the other carried a sledgehammer, which he used to break open the skills machines and steal the money from inside,” police said.

Following reports of similar robberies, officials launched a joint investigation involving the Abington, Springfield, Cheltenham, Rockledge, and Philadelphia police departments. Two suspects were identified, and on September 18, search warrants were executed at their residences in Philadelphia by the participating agencies.

The searches resulted in the recovery of evidence linking both suspects to the robberies, police said.

Mason-Watts and Holmes were arrested and charged with eight armed robberies in Philadelphia and four armed robberies in Montgomery County that included the Express Fuel Mart in Abington Township.

They were detained in Philadelphia, where they were arraigned and bail was set at $500,000.00 cash. Watts and Mason-Holmes will be arraigned on the Montgomery County charges at a later date, police said.

For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.

Photos: ATPD