Philadelphia police have released footage showing last week’s theft of several dozen propane tanks, which started a counter-terrorism probe.
Two locations in Northeast Philadelphia, Praxair in Frankford and James Morrissey Inc. in Holmesburg, were targeted last Thursday when 43 propane tanks disappeared overnight, NBC reported. “When you talk about the quantity that’s been taken, that adds up to a lot of propane that would last you a long time so that’s what we are worried about,” said Lt. Dennis Rosenbaum of Northeast Detectives in a related ABC report. RELATED:Puppy theft caught on tape Surveillance footage of the theft at Praxair shows a suspect retrieving the tanks before a Dodge or Chrysler minivan pulls up, and two suspects load the tanks, ABC added.
A bulletin was sent to authorities across Northeast Philadelphia this week asking them to be on the lookout for the van and thief, NBC added, but so far no one has been apprehended.
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Investigators believe the thefts were motivated by financial gain, but with such a large quantity of propane stolen, Homeland Security is helping with the investigation as a precaution.
“What’s concerning – some of the sizes of these propane tanks are 100-pound tanks, which hold 100 pounds of propane each,” Lt. Rosenbaum said to ABC.
