A man from Philadelphia has been apprehended by authorities for his alleged involvement in a series of smash-and-grab robberies across Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The suspect is accused of burglarizing numerous outlet stores, making off with merchandise worth tens of thousands of dollars, and driving a stolen vehicle. The arrest was announced on Tuesday, February 11th.
Police have charged 58-year-old Timothy Eugene Root with multiple felonies and misdemeanors including burglary, theft, retail theft, criminal mischief, possession of an instrument of crime, and receiving stolen property.
Derry Township officers were called to the Polo Ralph Lauren Outlet Store at 150 Outlet Square on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 4:51 a.m. following the activation of a burglar alarm. Upon arrival, they discovered that the front glass door had been smashed, and a total of 32 jackets were reported missing from the store.
Later that day, Lebanon City police apprehended Root at the intersection of Hanover and Walnut streets after he was found driving a stolen vehicle with a stolen registration plate. Upon searching the car, authorities recovered the stolen jackets. Root was subsequently arrested and taken into custody.
Tied To Virginia Outlet Burglary
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Authorities had previously reported that Root was already wanted in Virginia for another high-dollar outlet store burglary, as Daily Voice had covered.
The Leesburg Police Department reported that Root is accused of breaking into the Aeropostale store at the Leesburg Premium Outlets at approximately 5:10 a.m. on November 23, 2024. During the incident, he allegedly stole merchandise valued at around $6,500 and caused $2,276 in damages to a bench at the shopping center.
Leesburg authorities have successfully identified Root as the primary suspect after conducting weeks of investigation. On January 25, he was apprehended in Lebanon County and is currently being held, awaiting extradition to Virginia. Once in Virginia, he will face several felony charges, including burglary, grand larceny, possession of burglarious tools, and destruction of property.
Lengthy Criminal History Across Pennsylvania
Root has a long history of criminal activities that have occurred across several counties in Pennsylvania. These include Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Monroe, Montgomery, Bucks, and Philadelphia. This criminal record spans almost forty years.
He has a history of committing numerous felony burglary and theft charges, along with previous convictions for robbery, receiving stolen property, criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault, and firearms offenses.
Root has a history of criminal activity, including felony burglary and robbery, for which he has served time in Montgomery County. His sentences for these crimes have ranged from 11 months to five years. In addition, he has been convicted of robbery, aggravated assault, and criminal conspiracy in Philadelphia in 1986. As a result, he received multiple years of probation and confinement for these offenses.
In the latest development, Root had pending burglary and theft charges in Dauphin and Lancaster counties. Court proceedings were scheduled for later this year.
Connected To Other Smash-And-Grab Burglaries
According to the police, Root is facing charges in connection with another significant burglary at the Nike Outlet at Hershey’s Tanger Outlets. On March 5, 2024, he allegedly used a sledgehammer to break into the store and steal merchandise worth over $7,300. Surveillance footage reportedly captured Root entering the store three times and loading 165 units of stolen clothing into his car before making his getaway. Nike representatives stated that the damaged glass door required an additional $2,164.70 for repairs.
According to police, Root has been connected to a series of smash-and-grab burglaries. One of these incidents occurred on March 2, 2024, at the Calvin Klein store in East Lampeter Township’s Tanger Outlets. Another burglary took place on March 28, 2024, at the GUESS outlet store in Gloucester Township, New Jersey.
On April 20, 2024, authorities apprehended Root during a routine traffic stop near the Tannersville Premium Outlets at 4:25 a.m. It is reported that a duct-taped sledgehammer and black gloves were discovered inside his vehicle, which led to his arrest. Prior to the thefts in Virginia and Hershey, PA, Root had already been released on bail amounting to 10% of $50,000 for this particular incident.
After his recent crime spree, he is currently held at the Lebanon County Prison, unable to post bail set at 10% of $20,000, as stated in his recent court docket.
