A Schuylkill County man is accused of stealing a woman’s cellphone at knifepoint, according to police.
Randy Robertson Jr., 36, of Frackville, faces charges of robbery, aggravated assault, theft, simple assault, disorderly conduct and harassment in connection with the incident, which police say happened about 6 p.m. on July 31 at a residence on E. Division St. in Pottsville.
The woman reported the incident to police the following night. She told police Robertson arrived at the residence with a woman and two other men. The two men stayed down the street while Robertson and the woman approached the residence, according to police. The woman who accompanied Robertson later told police she had gone along only to talk to the victim about rumors that the victim had taken a phone belonging to Robertson’s girlfriend.
At the front door, Robertson pushed another person out of the doorway and went inside without the property owner’s permission, police said. The property owner later told police he did not wish to pursue charges over the entry and was mainly concerned with getting the victim’s phone back, according to police.
Robertson went upstairs and confronted the victim about the phone, police said. During the confrontation, he pushed her to the ground, according to police. Police said they did not observe visible injuries, but the woman complained of pain to her back.
While she was on the ground, Robertson took her red folding utility knife, valued at about $10, and held it in a threatening manner, police said. He threatened to hurt her further if she did not hand over her cellphone, according to police. The woman told police that although Robertson made no other specific threats, she feared immediate injury because he had just thrown her down and was holding the knife.
She surrendered her Samsung Galaxy S9 cellphone, valued at nearly $200, police said. Robertson then fled the residence with the phone and the knife. Neither item had been recovered as of the time of the report, according to police.
The woman who accompanied Robertson gave police an account consistent with the victim’s version of events, police said. A witness who stayed down the street told police he saw Robertson leave the residence carrying a phone matching the victim’s description and later heard Robertson admit to throwing the woman to the ground during the confrontation, according to police.
Robertson was arraigned Aug. 6 before Magisterial District Judge Christian Lengel, when bail was set at $10,000. He remains in Schuylkill County Prison.
A preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 24 before Judge James Reiley.
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