A Downingtown man has been held for court on charges of robbery, simple assault, terroristic threats and possessing an instrument of crime after an armed robbery at a Sunoco on the 7100 block of Division Highway, Salisbury Township on January 8.

Kenneth F. Byrd, 61 of the 400 block of Chesterfield Dr., will have the first-degree felony and three misdemeanor charges bound over to the Lancaster Court of Common Pleas following his preliminary hearing heard by Magisterial District Judge Raymond Sheller on February 9.

Upon arrival, officers interviewed the Sunoco store clerk who said she was behind the counter beginning to close for the night and counting money from one of the lottery machines. A white male wearing a black hoodie, grey knit hat and a gaiter-style face covering entered the store and went into the bathroom.

After exiting the bathroom, he approached the front desk and lottery games as the store clerk finished counting the money and dropping it into a safe. The male then walked behind the counter and pointed a firearm at the clerk, instructing her to “give me the bag.” The clerk handed over the bag that contained approximately $5,500.

Authorities were able to determine the suspect walked with a limp and drove a red Honda Civic that belonged to his girlfriend through surveillance video and additional investigation. It was determined that Byrd had previously robbed the Honey Brook Express in May 2021 for which he was charged and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Police obtained a search warrant for the Honey Brook address where Byrd and his girlfriend had been staying and found $2,715 in an upstairs bedroom, a blank gun resembling the one used in the robbery in a full paint can in the garage and a dark-colored gaiter-style face covering inside the red Honda Civic.

The clerk identified Byrd during the preliminary hearing stating she could not forget his eyes.

Byrd remains in custody at Lancaster County Prison. A formal arraignment will be scheduled for a later date.

Byrd is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Assistant District Attorney Kyle Linardo presented the case at the preliminary hearing.

Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Scott Enedy filed charges.

MEDIA CONTACT: Sean McBryan, semcbryan@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @SeanMcBryanLanc.