Sunday, April 15, 2007

Two men were arrested Saturday on charges of operating an illegal
table-gambling operation and robbing three people at the
Tacony-Palmyra Flea Market, police said. Michael A. Starks, 37, of
Glassboro and Khalil Collins, 31, of Philadelphia were each charged
with multiple counts of robbery, possession of a prohibited weapon,
possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a
weapon, theft, prohibited gambling and possession of prohibited
gambling devices in connection with the robbery and gambling at the
Route 73 market, police Lt. Howard Norcross said. He said officers
went to the market at 2:52 p.m. to investigate a report of people
setting up an illegal gambling table. When officers arrived, he said,
several people "took off running" and left the market. A short while
later, police were investigating a burglary at a nearby Route 73
business when three people approached them and reported being robbed
at gunpoint by two men near the market's entrance, Norcross said.
Officers located the two men, later identified as Starks and Collins,
and took them into custody. Further investigation revealed the men
were not armed with a handgun, but that one of them had tucked a knife
in his belt and pretended it was a firearm, police said. Norcross said
officers recovered a small amount of cash in Starks and Collins'
possession. The remainder of the stolen money as well as gambling
tools and additional cash suspected to be gambling proceeds were
recovered from a vehicle parked in a nearby vacant lot. Norcross said
Saturday's incident was the first report of illegal gambling occurring
at the flea market, but that Starks and Collins are suspected of
setting up illegal gambling tables in other locations. Both men
remained lodged yesterday in Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly on
$100,000 bail, Norcross said. The case was investigated by Palmyra
officers Michael McGonigal, Robert Brown and Omar Kendel, with
assistance from officers from the Riverton Police Department and
Burlington County Bridge Commission Police.