Cops, Courts and Fire

Newtown Twp. Police Assist Northampton Authorities With Manhunt Following Robbery

Newtown Township police were among the departments that assisted Northampton Township authorities following a Monday evening robbery.


Justin Ware.
Credit: Northampton Township police

Newtown Township police were among the departments that assisted Northampton Township authorities following a Monday evening robbery.

Northampton Township police said they had a knifepoint robbery at the Richboro McDonald’s on Second Street Pike around 7:55 p.m. The suspect allegedly displayed a knife and announced a robbery before fleeing the scene in a dark-colored Honda with an undisclosed amount of cash.

No one was injured during the robbery.

Minutes later, police were alerted to a crash involving a dark-colored Honda on Sackettsford Road in Rusland, which sits near the borders with Northampton, Warwick, and Wrightstown townships, authorities said.

The driver of the vehicle fled the scene, and police were able to identify the crashed vehicle as the same one used in the McDonald’s robbery.

An extensive search of the area was conducted by the Northampton Township police with assistance from Newtown Township, Buckingham Township, Upper Southampton, Lower Makefield Township, Warwick Township, and Solebury Township police. A K-9 unit and drone were used in the search, police said.

File photo.

The suspect – identified as Justin K. Ware, 34, of Philadelphia – was located and apprehended after a foot pursuit, police said.

Investigators reported using security camera footage and the clothing description from the robbery to confirm Ware was their suspect.

“Police are continuing the investigation to see if this robbery is linked to other incidents in the area. Ware was also found to have outstanding warrants,” authorities said in a statement.

Ware was charged with robbery, receiving stolen property, possession of an instrument of crime with intent, loitering and prowling at nighttime, and driving while operating privileges suspended or revoked. He was preliminarily arraigned before on-call District Judge Stacy Wertman and held on 10 percent of $100,000.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.


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