A Bronx man is accused of ditching a handgun following an attempted robbery Saturday afternoon in Allentown, PA.
Andrew Birch-Julbe, 26, is charged with criminal attempted robbery, receiving stolen property (firearm), possessing a firearm and possessing a firearm without a license, as well as trespass, according to court records.
City officers at 01:10 p.m. were called to the 500 block of North Mohr Street for a report of a man approached by another man with a gun. Investigators found Birch-Julbe hiding in the area but he fled, tossing the loaded handgun as he ran, police said.
Birch-Julbe eventually was taken custody without incident at a nearby home in the 500 block of North Penn Street. There were no reported injuries.
He was arraigned before District Judge Michael D’Amore, who set bail at $100,000. In lieu of bail, Birch-Julbe was taken to Lehigh County jail. He is due back in court for a preliminary hearing tentatively set for 10:00 a.m. September 23, 2019 before D’Amore.
The incident was investigated by Allentown Police’s Patrol Division and Third and First Platoons, the Criminal Investigations Division, and the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office.
