LANSDALE – Borough police have identified two Lansdale residents who have been arrested and charged for allegedly robbing a Main Street coin shop Monday morning – and trading the coins into a change cashing machine later that day. Michael Anthony Creciun, 21, and Gene Raymond Kulp, 18, both of the 500 block of Edgemont Avenue in Lansdale, were both arrested Tuesday following the Monday morning robbery, according to Lansdale borough police. ‘When this robbery happened, our chief made it the top priority of our department. We will not have people attacking our business owners,’ said police Sgt. Alex Kromdyk. Creciun and Kulp were both arrested Tuesday and arraigned before District Judge Henry Schireson of Narberth, who set bail at $50,000 for Creciun and $25,000 for Kulp, according to police and Schireson’s office. Both face a mix of felony and misdemeanor charges including robbery, theft by unlawful taking, aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment, carrying prohibited weapons, receiving stolen property, harassment and disorderly conduct, according to Schireson’s office. Neither has posted bail and both remain in custody at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, according to the court. According to police, the robbery took place around 9 a.m. Monday when two men entered Hen’s Coins and Collectables at 308 W. Main St., brandished a knife, and
stole numerous items that were recovered Tuesday by police
. Police said sometime between 8:45 and 9 a.m. a young man had entered the store and asked to see a coin in a display case, and as the victim unlocked that display case the man – later identified as Kulp – grabbed the victim from behind and held him in a cross-forearm chokehold. At that time Creciun, identified by police as Kulp’s cousin, entered the store, allegedly pulled out a knife, and told the victim that he was an old man and they did not want to kill an old man, police said. While Creciun stood guard, Kulp allegedly began taking items of value from the public access section of the store, and after about five minutes came back to the front of the store. Both then took the victim’s jacket off and placed it over his face before leaving the front door, police said; at that time the owner activated the store’s holdup alarm. A black Miami Marlins baseball hat was found at the scene, police said, and the investigation reportedly found that Kulp was wearing it at the time of the robbery. Surveillance video from another nearby business showed two men matching the descriptions of Kulp and Creciun walking on Wood Street toward Main, police said. Police investigators reportedly recognized Creciun from previous contacts, and another local business owner provided surveillance video of the two fleeing the scene of the robbery carrying items. On Tuesday the victim was shown a suspect photo lineup and identified Creciun as the man with the knife. About one hour after that identification was made, Creciun visited the borough police station to fill out a gun permit application, and at that time was taken into custody and admitted to his role in the robbery, police said. He allegedly told police that the stolen merchandise was at his residence, and while in the station Creciun received calls from another person identified as ‘Ray’ and later identified as Kulp. Search warrants for the residences of both men were obtained by police on Tuesday, and shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday detectives and patrol officers served the warrant and found some of the stolen property inside Creciun’s bedroom, according to police. While there, Kulp arrived at the home and admitted his involvement in the robbery, police said. During talks with the two, police reportedly learned that Creciun had been planning the robbery for weeks, and after the robbery both went to a nearby supermarket and cashed in several hundred dollars in stolen quarters, half dollars and silver dollars using a coin cashing machine. The two will face their preliminary hearings before District Judge Harold Borek of Lansdale, but no date for the hearing has yet been set. Stay tuned to www.TheReporterOnline.com for more information on this developing story. Follow staff writer Dan Sokil on Twitter @DanSokil. For breaking news SMS alerts from The Reporter, text LANNEWS to 22700 from your mobile phone. Msg and data rates may apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel.