Man waives his 4 cases to court
BUTLER TWP — A suspected serial shoplifter Thursday waived four theft-related cases to court.
But Joshua M. McBride, 25, of Butler is far from finished. He’s likely to be in and out of court for some time.
Since Jan. 4, police departments in Butler County have filed seven criminal cases against the suspect. Most of his charges are for shoplifting.
And, according to police and court documents, it appears McBride prefers practicing his five-finger discount at the Walmart at the Butler Commons shopping plaza in Butler Township.
He was caught swiping merchandise at the store three separate times in eight days last month.
Butler Township police said the defendant most recently shoplifted merchandise valued at $257.29 on Jan. 22.
Five days earlier, he was caught with crack cocaine after being spotted Jan. 17 leaving the store without paying for two electric heaters and clothing. The merchandise was valued at $169.63.
On Jan. 14, court documents said, store surveillance video caught McBride shoplifting a $378 flat-screen television.
The first case township police filed against him was Jan. 4 in connection with a Dec. 20 shoplifting incident at the same Walmart, where he allegedly swiped a flat-screen television worth $698
The suspect on Thursday appeared for his preliminary hearings in all four cases at the office of District Judge Kevin O’Donnell. He gave up his right to have the hearings.
The cumulative charges — four counts of retail theft, two counts of receiving stolen property and one count each of criminal mischief, and possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia — are now pending in Butler County Court.
McBride has more preliminary hearings set over the next several weeks in connection with three other cases.
He remains in the Butler County Prison where he’s been held since Jan. 26 when Butler police arrested him on charges that he forged five checks belonging to his uncle.
He is accused of taking the checks around Jan. 10 from the victim’s home in the 300 block of South Monroe Street, according to court documents.
The defendant is accused of convincing an acquaintance to cash or attempt to cash the checks for him, because he had no identification. The acquaintance, who is not charged, was apparently unaware of McBride’s scheme.
The five checks were written for a total of $1,011, police said.
His hearing on five felony counts of forgery and a misdemeanor count of theft by deception is set for March 13.
City police on Jan. 18 also charged McBride for having marijuana and Suboxone without a prescription, stemming from a December traffic stop.
He is charged with possession of a controlled substance and a small amount of marijuana. A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 27.
State police, meanwhile, charged McBride on Feb. 1, one month after a security camera captured him shoplifting $243 worth of clothing Jan. 3 at the TJ Maxx store at the Clearview Mall in Center Township.
His hearing on a retail theft charge is set for March 7.
