Bristol Twp. 7-11 clerk: Robber said, “If you don’t open the register, I’m going to kill you"

Posted: Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Kevin "Man-Man" Fant

As soon as he saw the two men dressed in black with masks covering their faces enter the 7-Eleven where he was working shortly before 4 a.m., the man knew what would happen next.

“I knew they were going to rob me,” the man testified Tuesday at a preliminary hearing for a 21-year-old Bristol Township man accused in the March 27 knifepoint robbery on Bristol Pike, which occurred shortly after police say he robbed another 7-Eleven in the township.

The cashier testified that he ran toward the back of the store, but one of the suspects — Kevin “Man-Man” Fant of Marie Lowe Drive — caught him. Fant allegedly dragged him to the front of the store and ordered him to open the cash register, all while holding a knife against the man’s chest.

“If you don’t open the register, I’m going to kill you,” Fant ordered, the employee testified.

Bristol Township police allege that Fant and his cousin Derrick “Boo-Boo” Carroll, 20, of Bristol Township had a knife while robbing the two convenience stores less than a half hour apart. No one was hurt in either robbery.

Fant was arrested last month and charged with both robberies. He has a preliminary hearing on the earlier robbery case scheduled for next month before District Judge Joanne Kline. Police have arrest warrants out for Carroll in the two cases.

The cashier working at the Bristol Pike store testified that after Fant took money from the front cash register, Fant ordered him to open a second register. The store’s manager also testified that the suspects stole the cash drawer from the register, as well as cigarettes, cigars and energy drinks totaling $500.

After ordering the clerk to go to the back of the store, the two men left, the cashier said.

On cross examination, the employee admitted that he didn’t know the suspects’ identities and wouldn’t recognize any of their facial features.

“You can’t tell the face of either guy,” public defender Michael Lacson said.

Bristol Township police Officer Jarrod Eisenhauer, though, testified that when he interviewed Fant regarding the 7-Eleven armed robbery in the 800 block of Veterans Highway, Fant confessed to committing the crime with Carroll. Fant also identified himself as the suspect with a knife in surveillance video from that robbery, the officer said.

Fant did not admit involvement in the Bristol Pike 7-Eleven robbery during the police interview, Eisenhauer said.

But the police officer, who said he had previous contact with Fant, said he recognized Fant’s clothing, description as well as his mannerisms after reviewing surveillance video from the Bristol Pike robbery.

Following testimony, Wagner held Fant for trial on all charges, including criminal conspiracy, robbery, simple assault, theft, possession of an instrument of crime, receiving stolen property and terroristic threats. He remains at Bucks County prison in lieu of 10 percent of $100,000 bail in one case, and 10 percent of $500,000 in a second case.

Jo Ciavaglia: 215-949-4181; email: ciavaglia@phillyBurbs.com; Twitter: @jociavaglia