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Seven dollars worth of hash browns and Wawa breakfast sandwiches sparked a fight
that damaged a Brookhaven Wawa and landed a parolee back in jail. Kevin O’Brien of
Havertown, is charged with robbery and aggravated assault. He allegedly got into a fight
with a plain-clothes Brookhaven police officer, who witnessed him trying to steal the
breakfast food on Wednesday morning. Brookhaven police told NBC10 that Officer Ran-
dolph McGoldrick was in the WaWa store on Edgmont Avenue around 7:40 a.m. when
he saw O’Brien stuffing two packets of hash browns and two breakfast sandwiches into
his coat pocket. O’Brien then fixed himself a cup of coffee and walked to the cash register
and paid only for the coffee, said police. McGoldrick called for a patrol car and approached
O’Brien as he started to leave the store. He showed his badge, according to investigators
and told O’Brien he needed to speak to him about the theft. O’Brien denied stealing any-
thing and tried to leave again, said police. McGoldrick told O’Brien he was under arrest
and walked him into the store office. Investigators told NBC10 things took a turn for the
worse in the office when O’Brien was informed a patrol car was on the way. O’Brien allege-
dly tried to run and McGoldrick grabbed him. The two started to fight and it spilled into
the deli area of the store, said police. Customers and employees watched as the two men
fought for several minutes, causing damage to the store, said police. Eventually two men
helped McGoldrick subdue O’Brien and he was taken into custody by two uniformed
Brookhaven officers. No employees or customers were injured. Officer McGoldrick suff-
ered minor injuries. O’Brien said he resisted because he didn’t want to go back to jail,
according to the police report. O’Brien has a lengthy criminal history including convict-
ions for robbery, assault and burglary, said police.
