Police hope surveillance video showing two people breaking into the metal basement doors of at least a trio of Southwest Philadelphia businesses helps them track down the burglars.
The thieves struck a series of corner stores over a three-week period earlier this fall, Philadelphia police said. In each instance they entered the business in overnight hours, by pulling open the basement doors on the sidewalk.
Video released over the weekend by police show two men walking in front of Uceta Grocery at Elmwood Avenue and South 61st street on Sept. 24, 2024. You see the men pry open the basement door and then walking in the store before grabbing bags full of merchandise.
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The second video show the duo approaching E&D Food Market on South 66th Street on Oct. 11, 2024 and again pulling up the basement doors. You then seem them inside loading items into large trash bags.
An E&D store worker said she was nervous 10 days after the store was struck. She believes the guys likely cased the store ahead of the thefts, but since they were masked.
"I couldn't recognize them," worker Amny Terroro said.
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The third video shows the guys pulling open the basement doors to T & P Food Market at Woodland Avenue and South 71st Street on Oct. 13, 2024. You then see the guys loading items into a large bag.
In total, the duo of basement burglars have made off with about $15,000 work of merchandise and cash from the stores, police said.
Police asked anyone with info to call or text 215-686-8477 or the Southwest Detective Division at 215-686-3183/3184. Anyone who spots the thieves should "contact 911 immediately," police said.
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