Thefts are a family affair on Penn campus

Even thieves are entitled to enjoy "Take Your Child to Work Day."

At least that appeared to be the case inside the University of Pennsylvania's Houston Hall shortly after 1 p.m. Thursday, when two women were quietly robbed by a family of three, the victims told police.

In the span of a few minutes, a 19-year-old student reported that her purse had been stolen and a 36-year-old student noticed that two credit cards were missing from her purse.

Police stopped Bernard Davenport, 45, who was allegedly walking through the hall pillaging purses, on Spruce Street near 34th with his sister and her 6-year-old son, said Lt. John Walker of Southwest Detectives.

Davenport's sister Tondeala Davenport, 35, fled before she could be captured, but police found one student's purse in her son's Spider-man backpack, Walker said. The credit cards have yet to be found.

Bernard Davenport, who goes by the alias Kevin Long, was charged with criminal conspiracy and theft. An arrest warrant was issued for his sister on charges that include theft and child endangerment, Walker said.

"It's sad how they used a young child as a pawn in their game," Walker said. *