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Police have nabbed a Newbold man who allegedly targeted and burglarized Asian-owned businesses in Whitman Plaza.
Thanh Tran, 41, of the 1900 block of South 17th Street, has been charged with several counts of burglary and related offenses and may be responsible for more.
Detective Michael Ferry of South Detective Division combed through photos of criminals recently released from prison who matched the suspect’s desciption when he spotted Tran, Detective Neal Aitken of South Detecives said.
“It was very good detective work on his part,” he said.
Tran allegedly sold the stolen cigarettes to a neighbor prior to his arrest outside his home at 11:30 p.m. May 18, Aitken said. A warrant helped police to retrieve cigarettes, tools and clothing linking him to three burglaries.
Tran is suspected of prying open the rear door of Viet French Café and Sandwiches, 320 W. Oregon Ave., and taking $3,050 in cash from the register and safe at 1:20 a.m. May 14, according to police. Two days later, he broke into the rear entrance of Pho Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant where he allegedly snatched $200 from the register, as well as several cigarette packs from the premises, but was unsuccessful at opening its safe.
Tran was also charged with a third overnight burglary at 320 W. Oregon Ave. May 17, Officer Christine O’Brien of Police Public Affairs said. The owner of Vina Services Inc. discovered his business’ side door pried open, with $500, a Kodak camera, a portable hard drive, pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses and a carton of cigarettes missing at 7:45 a.m. May 18.
Bail was set at $6,000 for each of the three sets of charges that included burglary, criminal trespassing, criminal mischief, theft, receiving stolen property and possession of an instrument of crime, according to court records.
Tran was out on bail for two Jan. 16 burglaries that occurred on the 1700 block of South Broad Street, a drug possession for which he was arrested Feb. 15 in the 1st Police District and a retail theft charge for an incident on the 1600 block of South Columbus Boulevard March 23, according to court records. For the burglary charges, he was set to appear for his preliminary hearing yesterday after press time for one set and is scheduled for a pre-trial conference for the other June 11. The trial for the drug charge starts June 13 while the theft trial begins June 11.
In addition to the first two Oregon Avenue burglaries, a South Detective Division crime pattern alert listed three other May burglaries targeting Asian commercial spots that Tran has not yet been charged with.
An unknown perpetrator forced open the rear door of Pho & Café Viet Huong, 1100 Washington Ave., at 3 a.m. May 7 and took cash from the register, according to the alert. At 12:20 a.m. May 11, a burglar cut a hole into the back door of Wing Kee China Imports, 1122 Washington Ave., removed the lock, and stole undisclosed items. The culprit of a 2 a.m. May 12 break-in entered Omega Computers LLC, 714 W. Porter St., but was unable to access the store.
To report information, call South Detectives’ tip line at 215-685-1635 or visit www.phillypolice.com/forms.
Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
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