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Cops are hunting ten more Philadelphia looters who broke into a Dunkin’ Donuts to steal a safe and merchandise as 72 people were charged over a huge raid on the city’s Apple Store the same night.Â
Philadelphia businesses suffered two nights of looting which stretched from the city center to its northeastern and western districts on Tuesday and Wednesday last week, and cops have now revealed Dunkin’ also fell victim to thieves.
Dozens made a smash and grab raid on the Apple store in Walnut Street on September 26 while pharmacies, liquor stores, pawnbrokers and even a hairdresser were among at least 80 businesses that fell victim.
Among the hours of security footage now released by police is one video taken at the Dunkin’ on North 52nd Street where raiders stumbled across the heavy iron safe after at least nine broke their way into the store.
Video shows the group furtively approaching the shuttered store through the empty car park in the early hours of Wednesday morning before forcing their way inside.
Looters rifle through cupboards after breaking into the Dunkin store at North 52nd Street
Close-ups of he suspects and the car released by the Philadelphia Police Department
One of them appears to wave at a second security camera inside before pulling down his hoodie top as his friends rifle through cupboards, throwing their contents on the floor.
Their excitement grows as they spot the 3-foot security box which they struggle to shove out into the car park.
An hour and 20 minutes after they approached the store a white Jeep SUV pulls up outside and the group hauls the safe up into its trunk, throwing in a handful of other looted items before it races off with its tailgate still open.
Five minors and 67 adults have been charged, Assistant DA Clint Orem revealed on Monday morning, among them Dayjia ‘Meatball’ Blackwell who became the poster girl of the crimewave after livestreaming the city center raids on her Instagram page, complete with a jubilant commentary.
‘Tell the police if they lock me up tonight it’s going to be lit, it’s going to be a movie! Everybody’s gotta eat!’ Meatball, 21, told her 181,000 followers.
But she wept as officials booked her and her grandmother spoke of her shame after helping raise her.
What goes through my mind, as a grandmother, is I’m very ashamed,’ Vashti Fields told FOX 29.
Security camera footage captures he moment one of them stumbles across the heavy safe in a back officeÂ
They called for reinforcements after heaving the safe out of the building and a white SUV helped them escape with their haul
Some were masked and some did not bother as they scouted out their target
The Dunkin store at North 52nd Street was dark and deserted when approached by the Looters in the early hours of Wednesday morning
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‘I’m very ashamed to see my child there, at that time. Number one, she could have gotten hurt,’ she added.
‘When I see someone of my blood, that has been there while this is happening, and they are saying they are an influencer, that hurts me deeply,’
Blackwell’s lawyer Jessica Mann has slammed coverage as an ‘all-out assault on black and brown people, as their character and actions are mercilessly vilified’.
But her client is due in court on October 17 to face charges of burglary, conspiracy, criminal trespass, riot, criminal mischief, criminal use of communication facility, receipt of stolen property and disorderly conduct.
‘This person incited a lot of other individuals to do at one point, what we know, is coordinated a caravan of individuals to go across the city hitting multiple locations,’ ADA Orem said yesterday.
More than a dozen looters forced their way into the Apple store on Walnut Street, snatching high-spec devices, only to find they had been disabled
Police officers did their best to contain the violence and detain suspects outside the Lulemon store in the city center
The aftermath of an attack on one of at least 18 liquor stores ransacked in the violence
Images shared on social media show a large group storming the Apple store in the city, raiding it in the process
Eighteen state-run liquor stores were broken into, leading the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to close all 48 of its Philadelphia retail locations and one in suburban Cheltenham on Wednesday.
More footage on social media captured officers trying to physically remove the thieves, some of whom were wearing Halloween masks, as they pillaged through the shelves.
Several firearms were also seized during the violent looting scene after it is believed that the planning for the incident took place on social media.
‘We were able to link some things on social media,’ said Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford.
‘We had a group that was making their way through the city. Quite naturally, you have followers who are going to see this and start to come out, and think they have an opportunity to get something.’
Benjamin Nochum, the pharmacist and store manager at Patriot Pharmacy on North 22nd Street said it was the third time since 2020 his business had been hit.
‘When looters steal from us, what they don’t seem to understand is that they are also stealing from our neighbors,’ he added.
‘It makes you question how much longer you can hang on.’
