Neighbors along Trevose Road are being asked to play detective after a string of commercial burglaries in Lower Southampton Township on Sunday night. Police say a person tied to at least two break-ins near Sterner Mill Road took off in a van that headed south on Trevose Road into Philadelphia. The only public images so far are blurry, but officers believe those grainy shots might still hold key clues.
According to FOX 29 Philadelphia, the burglaries happened Sunday night and investigators are urging anyone who lives along Trevose Road to comb through doorbell and security footage from around the time of the crimes. Police are asking residents to call 215-357-1234 with any tips and to let officers handle it if they spot a van that looks familiar. Even though the released photos are low quality, FOX 29 reports that small visible details could still help crack the case.
How neighbors can help
The Lower Southampton Township website lists the police department and township building at 1500 Desire Ave. in Feasterville, along with a general non-emergency line for questions. Officials say that if residents find anything on their cameras, they should save the original video files, keep timestamps intact and avoid trimming or editing clips. From there, they can call the tip line or email [email protected] for instructions on how to get the footage into detectives’ hands.
What police are looking for
Investigators say the suspect vehicle left the scene heading south on Trevose Road into Philadelphia, and they are banking on doorbell, traffic and Ring-style cameras along that route to help trace the van’s path or capture a readable license plate. If a vehicle resembles the one in the fuzzy images already released, police ask that residents call the department’s tip line instead of confronting anyone themselves so officers can respond and check it out. Community tips and home surveillance video often make or break local burglary cases, according to FOX 29 Philadelphia.
Local context
The township has seen headline-making commercial crime before, including a violent comic book store robbery that led to guilty pleas last year. Incidents like that, and the latest round of burglaries, highlight how quickly shared video clips and community vigilance can help detectives connect the dots and hold suspects accountable.
