Philadelphia Police Are Looking for a $25,000 Restaurant Bandit
Plus, frustrated Fishtown parents take matters into their own hands.
Police say this is the suspect who allegedly stole $25,000 in cash from the Tradesman’s barbecue restaurant in Center City (photos via Philadelphia Police Department)
Check phillymag.com each morning Monday through Thursday for the latest edition of Philly Today. And if you have a news tip for our hardworking Philly Mag reporters, please direct it here. You can also use that form to send us reader mail. We love reader mail!
Police Say This Man Stole $25,000 In Cash from a Philadelphia Restaurant
It’s hard enough being in the restaurant business, especially these days. And one thing you really don’t need to add to your list of problems as a restaurateur is some guy stealing $25,000 in cash from your restaurant. But according to police, that’s precisely what happened back on March 13th.
According to investigators, the man seen in these surveillance images gained access to Tradesman’s, a barbecue restaurant on the 1300 block of Chestnut Street, around 7:40 a.m. Then he allegedly used a hammer to break inside the restaurant’s safe, where he found $25,000 in cash, which he then stuffed into his bag. Police say that they were able to use city surveillance cameras to track him to the area of 11th and Dauphin streets in North Philadelphia.
Recognize this guy? First, ask him for a loan. If he declines, get in touch with Detective Loggia at 215-686-3093.
As for the restaurant, this is the first time I’m hearing about it. Gotta give it a try.
A Reminder That It’s April Fools Day
Yes, it’s April 1st. And that means that if you hear that Donald Trump is about to fire most of the federal workforce, conduct a hostile takeover of Greenland, or fix the books so he can be president yet again after this term is up in 1,389 days, 14 hours, and 29 minutes (as I write this), just remember that it’s April Fools Day and that these things are just pranks. (OK, so maybe Donald Trump is the wrong example to use here, but you get the gist.)
I did see one fun April Fools Day prank worth mentioning. Ocean Casino Resort is the best hotel in Atlantic City by far, and for some ungodly reason, people constantly refer to it as “Oceans” instead of “Ocean.” As in, “What did you do in Atlantic City last weekend?” “We stayed at the Oceans.” It doesn’t really make any sense. And yet. So Oceans — sorry, Ocean — had some fun with the naming confusion in honor of this pranking holiday, announcing that they were rebranding as Oceans, going with the if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em mantra.
The casino also released a fake video of the new sign lighting:
A Tale of Intrigue
The headline says it all: An SUV Assigned to the Philly Sheriff’s Office Ran a Red Light and Caused a Four-car Crash. Then, the Case Disappeared.
By the Numbers
46: Performances taking part in Philly Theatre Week, which kicks off on Thursday. There’s a show featuring unicycles, the tale of Frog and Toad, a twist on Romeo & Juliet… I could go on. Truly something for everyone. And all of the shows are pay-what-you-can. So you kind of don’t have a great excuse.
20: Children who live on just one block in Fishtown. Their parents were concerned about drivers speeding down the street, so they asked the city to put in a speed bump. But the city said they didn’t qualify for a speed bump. So what did the parents do? They tried installing their own. Gotta love that Philly grit and gumption. This actually reminds me that my son was just asking me if he could personally fill the potholes on our block. I think I will tell him yes.
900: Employees that West Chester-based QVC just fired. I guess you didn’t buy enough overpriced costume jewelry and silly kitchen gadgets.
What Are You Going to Eat This Week?
I suggest you take a look at this fabulous list of great meals you can get for under $20.
Local Talent
The new issue of Philly Mag (look for the giant cheesesteak on the cover — we wanted to make it scratch and sniff, but the accounting department put the kibosh on the cost) contains two interviews with local celebrities I want to call your attention to. First up, in honor of Phillies season (go Phils!), I sat down with Cole Hamels, and he filled me in on what it’s like being an Eagles fan in the middle of Dallas, where he lives now. And then there’s beloved 6ABC personality Alicia Vitarelli. She gave me the scoop on her fantastic scuba dresses and explained her recent (and reluctant) move from Center City to the Main Line. Enjoy!
Reader Mail
I get my fair share of hate mail. It’s just the nature of the business. But once in a while, a charmer comes along with something nice to say. Such was the case yesterday after Etan read the aforementioned interview with Alicia: “I just wanted to say I always enjoy reading these interviews you do,” wrote Etan. “Even if I’m not interested in the interview subject, you always make them interesting with your questions, which have some attitude and point of view without being mean or confrontational.” Thanks, Etan. Keep reading and keep the nice messages coming!
