Suspected Armed Robbery at Downtown Pottsville Business Results in Arrest of Philadelphia Man

Police in Pottsville say they’ve arrested a suspect in an armed robbery at a downtown business on Saturday night.

Just shy of 11 p.m. at the Eagle Tavern on E. Norwegian St., police say they responded to the business for a reported armed robbery. The victim of this alleged incident approached police and say a man dressed in dark clothing, wearing a hood and face covering brandished a handgun and demanded he hand over his wallet.

When the suspected robber – identified as Matthew Bailey, 37, of Philadelphia – got the wallet, he fled on foot north toward Arch St.

Police say witnesses reported seeing Bailey run west onto Arch St. Another witness reported Bailey running into the rear of 720 W. Market St.

As police made contact with Bailey at that address, he reportedly fled out the back door and was taken into custody in the yard.

Police learned that Bailey was wanted on a State Parole warrant.

A search of the W. Market St. residence where Bailey was found resulted in the discovery of numerous pieces of clothing he wore during the suspected armed robbery at Eagle Tavern as well as a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun with an obliterated serial number.

The robbery victim’s wallet was recovered in the yard of that W. Market St. home, police say.

Bailey has been charged with robbery, illegal possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, making terroristic threats, simple assault, theft, and receiving stolen property.

He was sent to Schuylkill County Prison to be held on the parole warrant. Bailey was arraigned Monday morning on the charges related to the suspected robbery and bail was set at $50,000 cash.

Police say this is the fourth incident of a similar nature at Eagle Tavern since Sept. 25 and Bailey is suspected in each of those incidents. Charges are pending on those incidents.

UPDATED: This article was updated with information from Bailey’s arraignment Monday morning.

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