CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Brazen Thief Steals Truck, Making Off With Christmas Decorations, Thousands Of Dollars In Tools
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Caught on camera, a thief jumps into a running truck and steals it. Inside was thousands of dollars worth of tools, as well as some important Christmas decoration.
"We're a commercial sign company. We do truck lettering, vehicle wraps and door front signs, that type of thing," John Nolen said.
His business, Aztec Signs, has sat on the 5800 block of Torresdale Avenue in Wissonoming without any issue. That was until around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
"We saw that truck move and the truck was being driven away by a street person," Nolen said.
In surveillance video, you can see the suspect wearing a grey hoodie and a dust mask leaning against a building. He then gets up and walks towards Nolen's business.
What happens next takes a matter of seconds.
The suspect hops in the idling truck when two employees and Nolen quickly realize what was happening, but they're seconds too late.
"We made an effort to run out and get it," Nolen said. "He reached over and he locked the passenger side door."
The suspect got away with a bucket truck full of equipment -- the backbone of Nolen's business. The truck was later found at Lehigh and Trenton Streets but all of the tools were taken.
"Every tool you could possibly accumulate in the 15 years of having this truck is in that truck," he said.
Along with supplies for an important job Aztec Signs is working on, the truck was filled with something else.
"The truck was loaded with the finishing touches for the Mayfair Christmas lighting, which goes on this Sunday. So I had to call them and let them know their decorations are on the back of the truck," Nolen said.
