Jamal James Reid, 36, of the 200 block of West Rosemar Street, has been sentenced to 5 to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to 23 burglaries and robberies of businesses in Montgomery and Philadelphia counties with a total loss amounting to over $186,000 in thefts and property damage, the Pottstown Mercury reported.

The 23 burglaries included: three separate burglaries at Seldon Motors, a Shell gas station and Seven Plu in Upper Moreland Township; a Dunkin’ Donuts, Chick-fil-A, Cottman Mart, H-Mart and Santander Bank in Cheltenham Township; Family Dollar Store in Abington Township; an A-Plus in Rockledge Township and multiple gas stations in Philadelphia, including Lukoil on Adams Avenue where the burglar brandished a firearm and forced an employee into a backroom.

The robberies occurred between May 2021 and March 2022 in the two counties. Reid was arrested in June 2023.

Reid was ordered to pay a total of $186,028 in restitution in connection with the crimes.

“This is a drug addiction-fueled crime spree where the defendant was targeting commercial businesses, trying to get money in order to feed his drug habit. Essentially, he was on a bender at the time this happened,” the prosecution explained, as quoted by the Mercury. “He was targeting small businesses like gas stations and smaller retail establishments like bakeries and grocery stores.

“There were several similarities between all of the burglaries, including the time the crimes were committed, the type of establishments targeted, the mode of entry, the items stolen (cash registers, skill machines, etc.) and the identification of consistent clothing and features by the main actor involved,” Upper Moreland Detective Mark Edward Bouldin wrote in the arrest affidavit.

For the full story, you can click here. Reid’s criminal complaint can be viewed below:

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Photo courtesy of Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office