UPPER DARBY, Pa. (WPVI) — Police in Delaware County are investigating a series of meat thefts caught on surveillance video, showing thieves unloading boxes from tractor-trailers parked overnight in an industrial area.
Upper Darby police released video that shows five cars pulling up behind a tractor-trailer, with several people getting out, opening the back door and unloading boxes of meat into their vehicles.
Investigators say the theft took only a few minutes and resulted in about $30,000 worth of meat being stolen.
“Now that’s wholesale,” said Upper Darby Police Superintendent Tim Bernhardt. “You’re going to double that for the retail end of it.”
Police say there have been three thefts, all believed to be related, with stolen goods totaling $80,000 wholesale.
The theft shown in the surveillance video happened on January 5 at about 2:30 a.m. in front of Philly’s Best Steak Company on the 600 block of Industrial Park Drive.
Authorities say the other two crimes happened at the same location, where all three trucks had parked overnight.
“The Best Philly Steaks is the last stop, Bernhardt said. “They pull up late in the evening knowing they’re closed for business and won’t open ’til the morning.”
In each case, police say the drivers had been asleep in their cabs and woke up to find their trucks broken into.
“It’s very simple for these thieves that are getting into these trucks,” Bernhardt said. “It literally takes a pair of scissors to cut this tag that’s on the back of the truck.”
Police believe all three thefts are connected and hope the surveillance video will help identify those responsible.
“If anybody has anything or has seen anything suspicious, call us and let us know so we can look into that,” Bernhardt said.
Police also say they believe the thieves are selling the stolen beef to small restaurants at a discounted rate and, because of the cold weather, may be storing the boxes outside.
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact Upper Darby police.
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