PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Philadelphia police are searching for the suspects who stole more than three dozen TVs from a semi-trailer. It happened while the driver was sleeping indoors at an industrial estate in northeastern Philadelphia around 1 a.m.
A police detective is looking for evidence at the site in Northeast Philly where a truck was parked overnight and someone broke in and stole TV after TV.
“I kept feeling something move,” said James Goldsmith, a driver from Fort Worth, Texas.
Goldsmith was sleeping in the cab of his semi when he awoke and noticed what was happening.
“I dozed off a bit. I got up again and saw a pickup truck parked behind me,” he said. or something. I said I would call the police and they went down the street from there.
Sources say 38 42-inch TVs with a total value of more than $11,000 were stolen.
“I’ve been riding for 20 years. This has never happened to me,” said Goldsmith. “Never.” “There were two guys on the back of the pickup, one guy was driving. I looked at the building to my left, another pickup was driving around with the TVs. I said, ‘Oh my God.'”
Police say the TVs were expected to be delivered to an address specified for Almo Corporation, a company that distributes appliances, electronics and more. Almo did not respond to an email requesting comment.
The truck was parked a few feet away, the driver says it was resting until it opened.
“I deliver at 7 in the morning,” he said. “And I said, ‘I’ll be here when they come back in the morning.'”
According to sources, the Philadelphia Police Department has been investigating an increasing number of tractor and trailer thefts in this part of the Northeast since the beginning of the year.
Last month, lead investigation reporter Joe Holden reported $200,000 in dimes stolen of a semi truck near the Philadelphia Mills parking lot. That happened about three kilometers from where the TVs were stolen.
Police did not answer on Friday whether they are investigating a connection between the two incidents.
But shortly after the TV thefts, state police stopped a pickup truck and took the driver into custody. They say he’s involved in the TV thefts.
Sources say his pickup broke down before police found him, but officers found no TVs in the back of the truck.
The suspect is expected to face theft, criminal conspiracy and other charges. No one else has been arrested at this time.
Matt Petrillo
