Photo from Philly Police Blog.
Police are continuing to search for two suspects, a man and a woman, who on Monday morning, between 5:30 and 6:40 a.m., slashed tires on some 59 vehicles parked on the 4700-5000 block of Hazel Avenue and the 5300 block of Chancellor Avenue.
Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey announced yesterday a $5,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of those involved in this act of vandalism. The Fraternal Order of Police President John Mcnesby is offering another $5,000 just for an arrest of the suspects, bringing the total reward amount up to $10,000.
The first suspect is described as a Black female, 30 years-of-age, 5’3”, stocky build, long hair, red or pink short jacket carrying a light colored bag. The second suspect is a Black male, 5’11”, wearing dark clothing. The police released surveillance video where both suspects can be seen (see below).
Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact the Southwest Detectives Division (Det. DiLauro #670) at 215-686-3183/3184. To submit a tip via telephone, dial 215.686.TIPS (8477) or text a tip to PPD TIP or 773847.
January 8th, 2013 at 10:05 am
bet dude works at a tire shop.
January 8th, 2013 at 11:12 am
In the video, the woman’s bag, shoes, and build are the most obvious things to me. Pretty hard to see the guy. I bet there are a couple other video cameras that picked these people up, since they’re just walking around, and at least before this crime, I’d guess the woman’s been wearing the same basic clothes … the jacket, purse, and shoes.
I appreciate the PPD posting this on social media so quickly. Fingers crossed they can catch them.
January 8th, 2013 at 12:40 pm
I just heard that the guy was caught this morning. Anybody know if this is true? I hate to feed the rumor mill, but I’m very curious.
January 8th, 2013 at 12:44 pm
We’re checking on it.
January 8th, 2013 at 2:08 pm
No, the tire slashers are still at large, according to police.
January 8th, 2013 at 2:09 pm
Just saw that on Philly.com
January 8th, 2013 at 2:16 pm
Too bad. Thanks for checking!
January 8th, 2013 at 2:24 pm
Do you know how much work it is to slash the tires of 59 cars? What kind of idiotic pursuit was that? By the way, the woman doesn’t appear to be engaged in this behavior; why is she a suspect?
January 8th, 2013 at 9:05 pm
@ what?
I assume she is a suspect because why else would she be walking the streets at that hour, about 10-20 feet ahead of the slasher, except to be on the lookout for people coming out of of looking from their houses, cars coming around the corner, etc. so that she could warn the guy?
January 9th, 2013 at 2:01 am
That’s a lot of assuming. Can’t make someone a suspect based on assumptions. We have footage and she doesn’t appear to be doing anything wrong, so I don’t see why she’s a suspect either.
January 9th, 2013 at 5:19 am
She is most definitely a suspect, an accomplice too. She’s helping him, checking to see if anyone is around. They are clearly walking and talking to one another. I hope they get both of them, put them away where they belong with all of the fines over their heads. They’re morons and don’t deserve to walk these streets. This is the most pathetic, childish crime. I thought they were kids until I saw the videos. Guess kids know better than to dress up and do something like this. They should check local store videos. And I agre hr probably owns a tire shop.
January 9th, 2013 at 9:47 am
Maybe she was a lookout, but based on the video no one can really draw that conclusion. She seems totally indifferent to what the guy is doing, imho. They likely only want her just to identify him if they don’t nab him first. And I agree that he’s a moron and needs to pay for this.
January 10th, 2013 at 9:48 am
@ joie
I know its a joke but that was my thought as well, whether it was someone who hoped to benefit in some way from the slashings because its such an oddly systematic approach to random vandalism. Or someone with a grudge against the neighbors on that block? Somebody formerly of that block who felt the neighbors had wronged him in some way?
January 10th, 2013 at 6:28 pm
@ King Cheetah
Did you watch the entire video? In the first part, she is walking ahead of him about 20 feet. In the rest of the video (about 1 minute into it) they are clearly walking side by side while the guy is going about his slashing.
Why would anyone do that with a witness around? If she were truly not an accomplice she should go for that $10K reward — oh, but then there could be retribution — the guy has a knife after all.
January 11th, 2013 at 9:24 pm
who didn’t understand why the woman in the video wasn’t a suspect?
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/50438858/ns/local_news-philadelphia_pa/
“…One of the two people wanted in connection to a series of tire slashings in West Philadelphia earlier this week turned herself into Southwest Detectives Friday.
Police say the yet to be identified woman was being questioned in the vandalism of 59 vehicles during the pre-dawn hours Monday, around 5:30 to 6:40 a.m., as cars parked on the 4700 to 5000 block of Hazel Avenue and on the 5300 block of Chancellor Street were hit, according to Philadelphia Police.
….. “