Case 11-026383
Wednesday, June 15, 2011

At approximately 10:30 AM on Wednesday June 15, 2011 a 17 year old girl was home alone in her residence in the 2300 block of Oakdale Avenue in the Glenside section of Abington Township when she discovered that there was an intruder inside the home. The intruder had apparently entered through an unlocked door and was covering his face with a coat he found inside the home. The intruder threatened the victim but did not physically harm or touch her. He demanded cash and valuables and went through the home with the victim looking for things to steal. Before he fled he ordered the victim to "count to 200 loudly and not to look at him." The victim called 9-1-1 after the suspect fled.

Abington Officer Mike Farley was responding to the 9-1-1 call and saw the suspect running from the home to his car. When Officer Farley confronted him the suspect dropped a box of silverware, jewelry and a camera he had stolen from the victim’s home and jumped into the car. Officer Farley attempted to stop him and remove him from the car but the suspect pulled forward, smashing into a parked car and then backed up pinning Officer Farley between the curb and the suspect’s car. Officer Farley was knocked to the ground and injured his leg. The suspect then sped off. Officer Farley was treated for his injured leg and released.

Abington Police Detectives Mike Begley and Phil Geliebter were also responding to the call and observed the suspect’s vehicle flee out of Oakdale Avenue southbound onto Easton Road. They chased the suspect’s vehicle south on Easton and radioed for assistance. The pursuit went through Cheltenham Township, across Cheltenham Avenue and into Philadelphia. In the area of Wadsworth Avenue and Bayard Street the suspect struck two vehicles. Two occupants in one of the vehicles complained of pain and were transported for treatment by Philadelphia Fire Rescue. The suspect jumped out and fled on foot. The two detectives gave chase and Detective Begley was able to tackle and subdue the suspect in a nearby alley. The suspect suffered a minor head injury in the incident but did not require hospitalization. Detective Begley suffered a minor leg injury in the confrontation but did not require treatment. Recovered from the suspect were (in addition to the items dropped at the scene) other items identified by the victim as having been stolen from her home.

The arrested suspect is Leroy Wilson DADE, 53 years of age who was currently residing in a half-way house at 3200 Henry Avenue in Philadelphia. DADE is currently awaiting arraignment.