Surveillance photo of the suspect
A man broke open a vending machine inside the Pelbano Recreation Center early this week, but it wasn’t to satisfy his sweet tooth.
In fact, the thief ignored the candy and snacks and went straight for the cash, Philadelphia police say. Detectives have recovered surveillance video of the crime and are trying to identify the culprit.
The incident occurred late on Monday or early Tuesday when the recreation center was closed, so the unknown crook is wanted for burglary and theft. Pelbano is at 2138 Solly Ave. in Rhawnhurst.
The first arriving staff members contacted police at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. A video recovered from security cameras shows the hooded burglar prying open a rear door to the property, approaching a vending machine in a hallway and using a tool to pry it open. After grabbing an unknown amount of cash from the machine, the crook exited via the rear door and ran through the playground toward Stanwood Street.
Police describe the suspect as white and 20 years old with a medium build, a mustache and a goatee beard. He wore a hooded jacket, dark pants and a dark skullcap. To view the video, visit the Philadelphia Police channel on YouTube.com. Call 215–686-TIPS or text to PPDTIP to report information. ••
