Action News viewer helps police track down retail thieves

WEST GOSHEN, Pa. (WPVI) -- Police in West Goshen are thanking an Action News viewer in helping them identify two suspects in a series of thefts that netted approximately $2,000.

The suspects, 37-year-old Eric Elliott and 40-year-old Ingrid Froehlich, are charged with dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, conspiracy retail theft, receiving stolen property, and retail theft.

Between November 23 and December 21, the West Goshen police investigated a series of organized retail thefts valued over $2,000 in the Philadelphia region.

Authorities determined a woman with a ponytail and wearing all black clothing fled from the store on each occasion and entered a black Lexus CT 200 Hybrid sedan being driven by a man.

On December 17, Action News reported the story.

The following day, an Action News viewer contacted the West Goshen police and provided the identities of both suspects.

Detectives were able to follow up on the identification and confirmed that the pair had been selling oral hygiene products to a pawn shop in Montgomery County since May 7, 2015.

Police say the pawn shop sales totaled $29,864.50 in street value which equates to approximately $100,000 retail value.

The stolen property consisted of electric toothbrushes, teeth whitening strips, calculators, blood pressure monitors and various electric tools.

The West Goshen police were assisted by the Upper Providence Police in Montgomery County and the couple was taken into custody without incident.

They were arraigned in the Chester County Magisterial Court and were held in the Chester County Prison in lieu of posting $10,000.00 cash bail each.