Courts. (Credit: Flickr/Creative Commons)
A Lansdale man, who had recently pleaded guilty to felony shoplifting in a separate case, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court last week to felony burglary and additional charges stemming from a break-in at the former Frederick’s Flowers in Hilltown Township and stealing copper piping in December 2024 and was sentenced to jail.
James Angelo Campitelli, 43, of the 50th block of East Main Street, also pleaded guilty May 29 to felony conspiracy to commit burglary, felony criminal trespassing and an associated conspiracy charge, and misdemeanor counts of possessing an instrument of crime, criminal mischief and a related conspiracy charge, attempted theft, possession of a controlled substance, and use/possession of drug paraphernalia.
Campitelli, who has seven retail theft convictions, was sentenced to a maximum 23 months in jail, followed by two years of probation, according to court records. Campitelli gets credit for time served in jail since Dec. 10, 2024.
He is also ordered to repay $1,449 to St. Luke’s University Health Network, the owner of the site, at $100 a month, per court documents. He was also ordered to not consume illicit drugs, have no contact with St. Luke’s or contact with his accomplice, Michael Fleming.
On Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, at 8:51 a.m., police were called to a burglary in progress at 3523 Bethlehem Pike, in which Campitelli allegedly broke into the building. The caller, a property manager for parcel owner St. Luke’s University Health Care Network, reported hammering coming from inside the building, police said.
The property manager arrived at the site that morning and found the lock broken off the door, police said.
As police approached the building, Campitelli walked out from behind it, police said.
A search of Campitelli revealed three screwdrivers, a wrench and a head lamp, per the affidavit. He also had a black plastic sheath from a Milwaukee-brand fixed-blade knife on his left hip area, but no weapon, police said.
Police said a backpack he was carrying contained an orange pill bottle with multiple small yellow pills, one purple tube with an orange-capped needle, a purple tube with suspected marijuana, a small jar with a white residue inside, and multiple electrical items.
A search of the building was done and multiple power tools and pieces of copper wire were found, police said. A red-handled Milwaukee knife was found outside of a garage door of one of the outbuildings on the property, police said.
Police said Campitelli admitted to being in the building, along with Fleming, in order to remove copper wire from conduits, along with other valuable metals, that they planned to sell at scrap yards.
He told police he lost his knife outside one of the buildings while they were searching buildings to determine where the underground electric cables led.
On Jan. 10, 2025, Campitelli pleaded guilty to felony retail theft stemming from an August 2024 arrest in Hatfield Township, in which he stole $331 worth of vaping devices, infused candy and a brownie from G Smokes vape shop at 1801 N. Broad St. He received two years' probation as punishment on Jan. 10, per court records.
On Aug. 27, 2024, at 11:29 a.m., police responded to G Smoke vape shop, 1801 N. Broad St., for a late shoplifting report, per the compliant.
The store manager told police an inventory check found six SWFT Icon 7500 Puffs vaping devices, valued at $32.99 each, were unaccounted for, as well as six SMAKD-brand infused rope candies, valued at $19.99 each, and a $19.99 SMAKD-brand 1000mg brownie, totaling a loss of $331.87, per the affidavit.
Surveillance footage showed the items were stolen Aug. 25 between 5:15 p.m. and 5:35 p.m. by a white male in his 40s with a shaved head and multiple arm and hand tattoos, identified as Campitelli, police allege in the complaint.
Police allege Campitelli approached the front counter, where the SWFT Icon vape cartridges are displayed for sale, and placed six of the cartridges in his pockets while the cashier was assisting other customers. Campitelli then took six SMAKD-infused Nerd Ropes-brand 100 candy bars and a SMAKD Blacked Brownie 1000mg cake and pocketed them as well, police said.
Campitelli then made a small purchase and left the store without paying for the items, police said.
The store manager showed photos of the suspect to several regular customers, who identified him as “James,” an employee at Taco Bell on North Broad Street in Hatfield Township, police said.
Police went to Taco Bell and showed a screenshot of Campitelli to a manager, who positively identified him, per the complaint. Several voicemail messages were left for Campitelli, but he did not return calls, police said.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
