Lansdale Police detectives say they have linked a man to a break-in at Rita’s Water Ice earlier this month after a bag of liquid ice cream labeled “Rita’s” and clothes seen on the suspect in surveillance footage were found inside a cars stolen during a search warrant.

Marlon Ramon Avila, 39, of no listed address and formerly of Colorado Springs, CO, was charged with felony theft and criminal mischief, according to charging documents.

Authorities said they were able to arrest and charge Avila with the assistance of an off-duty Lower Providence Township police officer.

On Oct. 5 at 8:44 a.m., police responded to a report of a break and enter at 214 N. Broad St. Rita’s Water Ice, and upon arrival, the owner reported $300 missing from two cash drawers and a safe with $400 in it had been opened from a desk, police said.

Through surveillance footage, police discovered employees had accidentally left the door ajar the night before, according to the affidavit.

At 2:07 a.m. on Oct. 5, surveillance footage shows a man, who police say is Avila, enter the store with a mask covering his face. The footage shows Avila in the safe room, removing cash from a cash register drawer, before covering the room with a sticker, police said.

Surveillance shows Avila in the back interior of the store, where he removes his mask, revealing his entire face, police said. Put the liquid, safe cream in a cardboard box and put all the change in the cassette drawers in the pockets, according to the complaint.

Exterior surveillance footage shows Avila walking with the box behind Str. Broad 216 N., wearing a black hoodie with a red hood, a red-brimmed hat with a circular sticker and circular emblem on the front, a black, white and black checkered scarf. pants and tattoos on his right wrist, police said.

Later on the day of the burglary, at 10:06 a.m., police were called to C&J Automotive, 750 N. Cannon Ave., Lansdale, for a report of a stolen vehicle, according to the affidavit.

An off-duty Lower Providence officer saw a blue Toyota RAV4 with a spare tire missing in the garage parking lot and recognized it as stolen from Worcester Township. Lansdale police confirmed it was stolen upon arrival and identified Avila as the driver, police said.

Read more about the stolen vehicle incident and related charges against Avila here.

A search warrant on the RAV4 turned up the hat, plaid pants, bag of liquid cream, a black scarf and a bag of loose and rolled coins, police said.

Avila remains in the Montgomery County Jail on $10,077 cash bail, which includes a parole/probation bond, according to court records. He faces a preliminary hearing on both separate arrests on Nov. 6 at 11:45 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Ed Levine.

All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.