A Brookhaven police officer was at a Wawa when he noticed a man stuffing two hashbrowns inside his pockets and then only paying for a coffee at the checkout. When the officer tried to stop him it turned into a brawl. NBC10’s Cydney Long reports.
Seven dollars worth of hash browns and Wawa breakfast sandwiches sparked a fight that damaged a Brookhaven Wawa and landed a parolee back in jail.
Kevin O'Brien of Havertown, is charged with robbery and aggravated assault. He allegedly got into a fight with a plain-clothes Brookhaven police officer, who witnessed him trying to steal the breakfast food on Wednesday morning.
Brookhaven police told NBC10 that Officer Randolph McGoldrick was in the WaWa store on Edgmont Avenue around 7:40 a.m. when he saw O'Brien stuffing two packets of hash browns and two breakfast sandwiches into his coat pocket.
O'Brien then fixed himself a cup of coffee and walked to the cash register and paid only for the coffee, said police.
McGoldrick called for a patrol car and approached O'Brien as he started to leave the store. He showed his badge, according to investigators and told O'Brien he needed to speak to him about the theft.
O'Brien denied stealing anything and tried to leave again, said police. McGoldrick told O'Brien he was under arrest and walked him into the store office.
Investigators told NBC10 things took a turn for the worse in the office when O'Brien was informed a patrol car was on the way. O'Brien allegedly tried to run and McGoldrick grabbed him. The two started to fight and it spilled into the deli area of the store, said police.
Customers and employees watched as the two men fought for several minutes, causing damage to the store, said police.
Eventually two men helped McGoldrick subdue O'Brien and he was taken into custody by two uniformed Brookhaven officers.
No employees or customers were injured. Officer McGoldrick suffered minor injuries.
O'Brien said he resisted because he didn't want to go back to jail, according to the police report.
O’Brien has a lengthy criminal history including convictions for robbery, assault and burglary, said police.
