Law enforcement officials in Montgomery County have announced the arrests and charging of two people who, officials believe, stabbed a loss prevention officer following an altercation on Dec. 6, 2024.
According to police officials, officers apprehended Truman Parks, 52 and Sydney Swain-Parks, 27, both of Philadelphia, and charged them with attempted murder, conspiracy and related offenses after a string of events led to a violent stabbing of a loss prevention officer at a Five Below store at Greenleaf in Cheltenham.
In a statement on the arrests, officials claim the incident unfolded on Dec. 6, 2024, beginning at about 4:45 p.m. when Parks was, allegedly, captured on store surveillance equipment after he entered the store, filled a store basket with over $150 worth of merchandise and then fled the store without paying.
At that time, Parks was not stopped on his way out, officials said.
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Then, about a half hour later, at 5:15 p.m., police officials claim surveillance cameras again caught Parks at the shop, when he was attempting to return the empty store basket that, police officials claim, was used when Parks is alleged to have stolen from the store earlier in the day.
At this time, police officials said, the store's loss prevention officer and Parks became engaged in, what police said was a "heated verbal exchange," before Parks allegedly fled again only to return once more.
Police officials said, about an hour later, at about 6:26 p.m., Parks allegedly returned to the store, this time driven to the shop in a blue Jeep Liberty that, officials said, had Swain-Parks behind the wheel.
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The pair then entered the store where, police officials said, Parks approached the loss prevention officer and allegedly stabbed the worker from behind and punched the victim.
After the attack, police officials said, store surveillance camera captured Parks fleeing from the store along with Swain-Parks who, officials note, was spotted on camera as she "calmly steps around the victim and walks out of the store" after the attack.
The pair was apprehended after, police said, checking the license of the Jeep Liberty and learning that it was involved in crash earlier that day.
At the time of that crash, officials claim, Swain-Parks was again behind the wheel of the vehicle.
Both Parks and Swain-Parks were arraigned on Dec. 19, 2024. Parks is being held in custody on $10 million bail while bail has been set at $500,000 for Swain-Parks.
They are due in court again on Dec. 30, 2024.
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