At least two Philadelphia Police officers are accused of stealing cash and drinking alcohol from a Frankford bar while it was closed.
The alleged incident happened at Pat's Café along 4600 block of Castor Avenue late Monday night into Tuesday morning, sources tell NBC Philadelphia.
Sources say the officers were responding to an alarm call at the nearby New Vision Auto Detailing and Repair shop when they noticed the basement door to the restaurant open.
The officers then entered the cafe and spent about 45 minutes inside, sources say.
Surveillance cameras allegedly caught police drinking from the bar inside and at least one officer taking cash from a safe, sources tell NBC Philadelphia.
A source who saw the surveillance video said the evidence speaks for itself. That person said it shows a man, who appears to be an officer, stuffing cash from the bar's safe down his pants.
That safe was removed by investigators Wednesday evening as well as copies of the surveillance video.
Philadelphia Police have been tightlipped about the case, with Commissioner Charles Ramsey merely acknowledging an Internal Affairs investigation.
"We do have an issue that we're taking very seriously and that we're looking into," Comm. Ramsey said.
The officers involved have been placed on desk duty pending the outcome of the investigation, the commissioner said.
Pat's Café may be remembered by some as the restaurant where Philadelphia Police Officer Gary Skerski was shot in the neck while responding to a call in May 2006. He later died.
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A memorial plaque to Officer Skerski sits in the pavement in front of the cafe and a sign outside still reads "Farewell to our hero Officer Skerski RIP 7379."
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