Auto Shop Owner Helps Nab Thief: Cops

Police are crediting the owner of a local Auto Repair shop with helping to capture the man who allegedly stole from his business.

Police are crediting the owner of a local Auto Repair shop with helping to capture the man who allegedly stole from his business.

Joe Long, the owner of Joe’s Auto Repair in the East Falls section of the city, noticed five of his impact guns, power tools worth $500 each, had mysteriously disappeared one by one over the span of a few months.

“I was wondering where the guns were going,” said Long. “Finally the last gun, that’s when we started watching the tape.”

The last theft occurred on April 23, according to police. Investigators say the thief stole a ½ inch impact wrench, placed it in a black bag and left.

Long began to watch surveillance video from his shop and recognized the man caught on camera. Long claimed he periodically spotted the man wandering in and out of his shop. Whenever he was caught, Joe said the man would ask him if he had any work. Joe kept turning the man away until he says he realized the man who kept looking for work was the same thief who kept targeting his store.

“He got me on a Monday and that Friday he came back again,” said Long. “Same thing. I caught him in the building and he asked if I had any work for him.”

Instead of turning him away, Long told the man to sweep in front of the shop. As the man swept, Long went to his office and called police.

Police arrived and arrested the man, who they identified as 59-year-old Harold Williams. He is charged with theft as well as other related offenses and is due back in court at the end of the month.
 

Contact Us