Man accused of stealing a car faces new theft charges, police say

Detectives with Lansdale Police have linked a man to a burglary at Rita’s Water Ice earlier this month after a bag of liquid pudding labeled “Rita’s” and clothing seen on the suspect in surveillance video were found inside a stolen car during a search warrant. He claimed to have made a connection.

Marlon Ramon Avila, 39, formerly of Colorado Springs, CO, who does not have a listed address, was charged with felony counts of burglary and trespassing and misdemeanor charges of theft and receiving stolen property, according to charging documents.

Authorities said they were able to arrest and charge Avila with the help of an off-duty Lower Providence Township Police officer.

At 8:44 a.m. on Oct. 5, police responded to 214 N. Broad St. He responded to a report of a break-in and break-in at the Water Ice location in Rita, and the owner reported that $300 was missing from two cash drawers and a safe upon arrival. Police said the safe containing $400 was removed from the table.

Police determined through surveillance footage that employees had accidentally left the door ajar from the night before, according to the affidavit.

At 2:07 a.m. on Oct. 5, security cameras show a man police allege as Avila entering the store wearing a mask covering his face. Police said the footage showed Avila in the safe room, taking money out of the cash drawer before covering the camera with a sticker.

Police said security cameras showed Avila inside the store, removing his mask and revealing his full face. Upon complaint, he puts the safe and the liquid pudding into the cardboard box and puts all the money in the safe drawers into his pocket.

Outside security cameras showed Avila with the box at 216 N. Broad St. It shows him walking behind his address, wearing a black sweatshirt with a red hoodie, a red-brimmed hat with a circle sticker and circular emblem on the front, and a black scarf with black and white checks. Police said he had tattoos on his pants and on his right wrist.

Later the day of the theft, at 10:06 a.m., police were called to C&J Automotive, 750 N. Cannon Ave., Lansdale, for a report of a stolen vehicle, according to the affidavit.

An off-duty Lower Providence officer spotted a blue Toyota RAV4 with a missing spare tire in the garage parking lot and realized it had been stolen from Worcester Township. Lansdale Police confirmed it was stolen upon arrival and identified Avila as the driver, police said.

Read more about the stolen vehicle incident and related charges against Avila here.

A search warrant on the RAV4 found a hat, plaid trousers, a liquid pudding bag, a black scarf and a bag of coins, police said.

Avila remains in the Montgomery County jail on $10,077 cash bail, which includes probation/parole detention, according to court records. A preliminary hearing on both arrests is scheduled for Nov. 6 at 11:45 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Ed Levine.

All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.