2 Center City Shops, Already Boarded Up Due To Recent Looting, Burglarized

Alecia Reid reports.

WEEK TO KICK OFF THE FIRST FULLWEEK OF THE SUMMER SEASON JOE.SEE YOU SHORTLY LAUREN THANKYOU.TWO CENTER CITY SHOPS BOARDEDUP TO RECENT LOOTING AND UNRESTBURGLARIZED YET AGAIN OVERNIGHT.POLICE SAY THIEVES PRIED OPEN ABACK DOOR.EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTER ALECIAREID LIVE IN CENTER CITY WITHTHE MORE ON THE POLICEINVESTIGATION.HI ALICIA.HI, JOE.POLICE SAY THE TWO STORES BEHINDME THES MEMBERS WAREHOUSE ANDTHE OLD NAVY WERE NOT ONLYLOOTED DURING THE RECENT RIOTS,THEY WERE BURGLARIZED OVERNIGHT.THE ALARMS INSIDE BOTH STORESWERE SET OFF AROUND 5:00 THISMORNING RIGHT HERE ON THE 1600BLOCK OF CHESTNUT STREET.NOW, POLICE BELIEVE THE SUSPECTSENTERED THROUGH THE BACK OF ONESTORE.THEN CROSSED OVER INTO THEOTHER.AUTHORITIES WERE ABLE TO TRACKDOWN AT LEAST ONE SUSPECT NEAR16TH AND SANSOM STREETS, AFTERHE WAS SPOTTED PUSHING ASHOPPING CART FILLED WITH STOLENITEMS.OVER ON THE 1500 BLOCK OFWALNUT, POLICE WERE BACK AT THECHAMPIONS STORE THIS EVENINGINVESTIGATING ANOTHERBURGBURGLARY.THIEVES BROKE INTO THAT STOREABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE THEBURGLARIES HERE ON CHESTNUTSTREET.POLICE SAY SIX OR SEVEN PEOPLEBROKE IN FROM THE REAR.PRYING THE DOOR OPEN.POLICE RESPONDED WITHIN FIVEMINUTES OF THE ALARMS GOING OFFTO FIND TWO WHITE MEN ESCAPINGTHE REAR OF THE STORE WITH THEIRARMS FILLED WITH MERCHANDISE.NOW, THE OFFICER WAITED FOR BACKUP THEN APPREHENDED THEM ON THE1500 BLOCK OF SAMSON STREET.THOSE MEN ARE NOW IN CUSTODY.NOW, BACK AT THE CHAMPIONSTORE POLICE ALSO ENCOUNTERED ABLACK FEMALE BEHIND THE COUNTERROUGHLYING THROUGH THE DRAWERS.SHE TOLD THEM SHE WAS SEARCHINGFOR MINTS, AND IN FACT, POLICESAY BOTH OF HER HANDS WEREFILLED WITH MINTS.SHE WAS ALSO IN POSSESSION OFNARCOTICS.OFFICERS TOOK HER INTOCUSTODY FOR FURTHERAND DETECTIVES ARE STILLSEARCHING FOR THE OTHER SUSPECTSINVOLVED IN THE BURGLARIES.NOW, IN THE MEANTIME, WE AREWORKING TO CONFIRM IF ALL OFTHESE BURGLARIES ARE RELATED.REPORTING LIVE FROM CENTER