Business on and around commercial corridors (like this one in Lawncrest) balance the pros and cons of those avenues' high traffic. Photo/Laura Robb

This is the second of a two-part look at three Northeast Philadelphia business corridors, the areas and around them and how those businesses impact their communities.

A community without businesses is a community failed. Businesses promote employment, provide services or goods and enhance other economic freedoms helping communities to flourish. Typically, these positive outcomes distract residents from any real concern.

However, occasionally businesses can attract the wrong kind of clientele. Amid the shoppers, strollers and neighbors can also be loiterers, criminals and drug dealers.

At June’s Take Back Your Neighborhood meeting in Castor Gardens, Lt. Thomas Macartney of the 2nd Police District spoke about some of the reported problems along Castor Avenue.

“One of the things we’ve been working on is the 6600-block of Castor Ave.,” Macartney said. “Between two stores on the corners at Castor and Magee, there has been some gang-related activity, including residents buying drugs.”

We compared statistics from CrimeReports.com of five blocks each of three commercial corridors in Northeast Philadelphia, examining police reports from Jan. 1 to June 23 of this year to determine how those avenues – all in the 2nd Police District – stack up. continue reading »

Surveillance footage shows a theft in the basement at SmokeEaters Pub. Image/Philadelphia Police

Police in the 15th District are looking for the man seen stealing from raffle baskets at a firefighters fundraiser Friday night.

SmokeEaters Pub in Holmesburg held a benefit for deceased firefighters Robert Neary and Daniel Sweeney. During the party, a suspect was seen on surveillance camera cutting into and stealing from raffle baskets meant for the fundraiser. Neary and Sweeney died last weekend battling a factory fire in Kensington. continue reading »

Former 15th District Police Office Kenneth Crockett has been sentenced to probation after being convicted in October of stealing from Pat’s Cafe in Northwood.

Crockett was charged in July with stealing $825 from the bar following a police investigation. The Walton Park resident and two other officers were at the bar after an unfounded burglary call nearby. The other officers were cleared. continue reading »

Two Northeast men have been arrested for a burglary ring that spanned the Northeast and Bensalem.

Ryan Shantz, 30, of Torresdale; and Michael Mager, 31, of Tacony; were arrested and charged with 61 counts of theft from auto and other offense. continue reading »

Two men  – one from Olney, one from Port Richmond — face charges for the Friday night incident that resulted in an 8th District officer getting struck and dragged by a car.

Mark Kelly, 38, of the 5900-block of B Street and William Gray, 38, of the 3200-block of Mercer Street were arrested Friday on the 4100-block of Carteret Street, and have been charged with robbery, theft, aggravated assault, simple assault, kidnapping, impersonating a police officer, burglary and criminal conspiracy. continue reading »

Three men invaded an Ashton Road home Friday night, making off with a TV.

Reports say the men entered a home on the 9400-block of Ashton Road just after 11 p.m. Monday, and demanded money from the resident. The resident pulled out a kitchen night to try to defend himself, but was injured when the knife broke. Finding no money, the intruders left with a TV in their burgundy vehicle.

The suspects have no been identified.

A third suspect has been arrested in connection with last week’s theft in Aria Health-Frankford’s waiting room.

Jannira Walker, 21, was arrested Saturday for theft, robbery and other charges. Her last known address was in North Philadelphia, but police said it’s likely Walker was homeless, much like her two accomplices. continue reading »

In an effort to deter thieves, coaches and other employees with Philly Soccer Club are painting goalposts white – something that devalues aluminum.

To date, eight goalposts have been stolen, in addition to nets, which are worth approximately $150 apiece.

Rob Calasanto, who works at Philly Soccer Club, told CBS3 he believes the thieves are cutting up the posts and selling them as scrap metal.

It’s been reported that the white paint has slowed the thefts so far, but other fields, like those at Eden Hall in Torresale, have been target as well.

By Shannon McDonald

Rev. Charles Newman, former president of Archbishop Ryan High School, faces up to 24 years in prison after pleading guilty to stealing money from the school to pay off a former student he is accused of sexually molesting.

Newman, 58, pled guilty to stealing $900,00 from the school and his Franciscan Friars order during his presidency from July 2002 to Nov. 20, 2003, when he was terminated. He accused of giving $54,000 to former student Arthur Baselice III, though he will not face charges for sexual molestation, as the statute of limitations has expired.

Baselice’s father said his son, who graduated from Ryan in 1996, was sexually molested by Newman, and that Newman also exposed him to addictive and illegal drugs during his junior and senior years at the school. Arthur Baselice III died Nov. 30, 2006 of a drug overdose at the age of 28.

Newman’s sentencing is scheduled for May 8.

By Shannon McDonald

Anyone who plans on using an ATM in the area should pay close attention to their surroundings.

Two suspects have been spotted placing devices in the credit card slots of ATMs, which cause people’s cards to get stuck. In two cases, elderly women have inserted their cards into a rigged machine, and left when they believed the cards were stuck due to a machine error. The thieves then take the cards.

In one instance, one of the suspects persuaded a woman into entering her PIN again, subsequently stealing the number and her card when she became frustrated and left.

Police are still looking for the suspects, who drive a silver pickup, and believe there have been more victims. Both thefts took place on the 7300-block of Frankford Ave. near Cottman Avenue, but it is uncertain whether other machines have been used.

FOX29 has surveillance footage of one of the thefts.