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Timothy Eugene Root, 58, was charged with felony burglary, felony theft, felony retail theft, misdemeanor criminal mischief, misdemeanor possession of an instrument of crime, and receiving stolen property, police said.
Derry Township officers responded to the Polo Ralph Lauren Outlet Store at 150 Outlet Square at 4:51 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25, after a burglar alarm was triggered. When they arrived, the front glass door had been smashed, and 32 jackets were missing, authorities said.
Hours later, Lebanon City police stopped Root near Hanover and Walnut streets, where he was allegedly caught driving a stolen car with a stolen registration plate, police said. The stolen jackets were recovered from the vehicle, and Root was taken into custody, authorities said.
Tied To Virginia Outlet Burglary
Root was already wanted in Virginia for another high-dollar outlet store burglary, authorities said and Daily Voice previously reported.
According to the Leesburg Police Department, Root allegedly broke into the Aeropostale store at the Leesburg Premium Outlets around 5:10 a.m. on Nov. 23, 2024. He stole approximately $6,500 worth of merchandise and caused $2,276 in property damage to a bench at the shopping center, police said.
After weeks of investigation, Leesburg authorities identified Root as the suspect. He was arrested in Lebanon County on Jan. 25 and is being held pending extradition to Virginia, where he faces felony charges of burglary, grand larceny, possession of burglarious tools, and destruction of property.
Lengthy Criminal History Across Pennsylvania
Root has an extensive criminal history spanning multiple Pennsylvania counties, including Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Monroe, Montgomery, Bucks, and Philadelphia, dating back nearly four decades.
His record includes multiple felony burglary and theft charges, as well as past convictions for robbery, receiving stolen property, criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault, and firearms offenses.
Root has previously served prison time in Montgomery County for felony burglary and robbery, receiving sentences ranging from 11 months to five years. In Philadelphia, he was convicted of robbery, aggravated assault, and criminal conspiracy in 1986 and sentenced to multiple years of probation and confinement.
Most recently, Root was facing pending burglary and theft charges in Dauphin and Lancaster counties, with court proceedings scheduled for later this year.
Connected To Other Smash-And-Grab Burglaries
Root has also been charged in another high-value burglary at the Nike Outlet at Hershey’s Tanger Outlets, where he allegedly used a sledgehammer to break in and steal over $7,300 worth of merchandise on March 5, 2024, police said. Surveillance footage reportedly captured Root making three trips into the store, loading 165 units of stolen clothing into his car before driving off. The damaged glass door cost an additional $2,164.70 to repair, according to Nike representatives.
Investigators have linked Root to a string of similar smash-and-grab burglaries, including, and overnight break-in at the Calvin Klein store at the Tanger Outlets in East Lampeter Township on March 2, 2024, and another burglary at the GUESS outlet store in Gloucester Township, New Jersey, on March 28, 2024, police said.
Root was finally arrested on April 20, 2024, when officers pulled him over near the Tannersville Premium Outlets at 4:25 a.m. for a routine traffic stop. Inside his vehicle, police allegedly found a duct-taped sledgehammer and black gloves, leading to his detention. He was out on 10% of $50,000 in bail for this incident before the Virginia, Hershey, PA thefts.
Following his latest crime spree, he remains in the Lebanon County Prison in lieu of 10% of $20,000, according to his most recent court docket.
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