Upper Darby police have arrested three men allegedly stealing cheesesteak meat from a delivery truck.
Police have arrested Braheem T. Jenrette, 30; Yaseen Mohommed, 28; and Justin N. Mond, 28; all of Philadelphia and identified a fourth suspect in the theft from trucks waiting to unload at a local business.
Upper Darby Township, like other jurisdictions across the region, has been experiencing thefts from parked tractor-trailers waiting overnight for delivery, said township Police Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt.
The thefts occurred while the drivers were asleep in the cabs waiting along Industrial Park Drive for the business, Philly’s Best Steak Company Inc., to open in the morning.
Bernhardt said that since December, township detectives have been investigating several such theft cases.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Detective Daniel Finnigan:
A number of thefts from trucks occurred in December and then again on May 21 and 26.
Philly’s Best, 610 Industrial Park Drive, produces food products used to make cheesesteaks and regularly receives shipments of meat to their property via delivery trucks. Often, tractor-trailer delivery truck drivers who were scheduled to make early morning drop-offs at the business would park their vehicles on the street overnight, sleeping in the cabs until the business opened.
During each of these thefts, several vehicles of different makes and models would drive to the rear of tractor-trailer and subjects would open the trailer and remove meat products and place it in their vehicles, and then leave.
The investigation
The Detective Division and Criminal Intelligence Unit coordinated an investigation of the thefts.
One task they carried out was a review of surveillance footage and automated license plate readers in the vicinity of Industrial Park Drive. Those reviews identified several vehicles as being involved, a dark colored Honda Pilot and a black Jeep Cherokee.
After the May thefts, detectives and officers from the Intelligence Unit also began to conduct manned surveillance and at midnight Wednesday June 3 they saw two trucks arrive on the street.
At approximately 3:50 a.m., police observed a black Jeep SUV and a Honda Pilot and a second black Jeep in the vicinity.
A black Jeep with New Jersey parked and attempted to act as a lookout while the two other vehicles then drove towards the parked tractor trailers.
Occupants wearing all black and masks and carrying a red bolt cutter approached the rear doors of one tractor-trailer, then cut the lock from a door on the rig.
Once the lock was cut, police observed two additional males wearing masks get out of the Honda and enter the trailer to assist in removing boxes of meat and place them into the Honda.
Police then moved in as the thieves attempted to flee.
The operator of the Honda Pilot, identified as Mond, attempted to drive up on the grass patch next to the tractor-trailer but quickly stopped, at which time he and Mohommed ran. They were quickly taken into custody.
When placed into custody, Mohommed was in possession of two cellphones and police observed a live call on one of the phones.
The black Jeep was able to evade officers. Yeadon police later pursued it into Philadelphia, losing sight of the vehicle in the area of 51st Street and Cedar Avenue.
While this occurred, other officers approached the lookout vehicle and arrested Jenrette who was laying back in the driver’s seat while on a cellphone.
At the police station, detectives interviewed Monda and Mohommed, who confirmed his involvement in the theft.
Jenrette denied having any involvement in this incident, stating he was only in the area to sleep in his car and claimed he had no association with Mohommad or Mond, however phone information connected Jenrette to the others.
Surveillance camera footage provided by Philadelphia police showed the two Jeeps, and the Honda Pilot parked together at a Lukoil gas station on Baltimore Avenue in Philadelphia minutes prior to the theft.
Police also learned the Honda had been reported stolen.
Other particulars
Philly’s Best Steaks Inc. provided additional surveillance video of the crime and told police the truck carried 36,285 pounds of meat valued at $252,668.
The three suspects face charges include conspiracy, attempted theft and receiving stolen property. They were arraigned before District Judge David R. Griffin who set bail at 10 percent of $200,000, which none were able to post and taken to the George W. Hill Correctional Facility.
The three are scheduled for a June 12 preliminary hearing before District Judge Christopher R. Mattox.
“This was an amazing coordination between our Patrol Division, Detective Division and our Criminal Intelligence Unit,” Bernhardt said. “One suspect was able to flee but has been identified, and an arrest warrant will be issued. My advice to him is simple: Turn yourself in before we come and get you.”
Bernhart said criminals are not welcome in Upper Darby Township.
“If you come here to prey on our residents, businesses, commit acts of violence, or victimize our community in any way, expect to be arrested, and held accountable. Don’t test us. Our officers will arrest you, our detectives will build the case, and our District Attorney will prosecute you,” he said.