3 laptops stolen from Clinton campaign worker's car; 'crime of opportunity'

Three laptops were stolen from the car of a Hillary Clinton campaign worker in Northern Liberties on Friday night, according to police.

Police said four Clinton campaign workers left a restaurant on the 900 block of North Second Street around 9:15 p.m. Friday and found that the back passenger window of their 2016 Buick Enclave had been smashed. The men called police and said that three backpacks containing MacBook Pros and other items had been stolen, authorities said.

The car, with Michigan registration, had been parked on the 100 block of Brown Street, but Police Commissioner Richard Ross said it was not marked as a Clinton campaign vehicle.

He said that police did not believe the workers were targeted because the bags were left in plain view, and that police "have no reason to believe that [the staffers] were in possession of any sensitive information." He did say the computers could have contained scheduling or personal information.

Clinton campaign spokeswoman Stephanie Formas confirmed in a statement that the three "advance staffers" had lost "personal belongings, including backpacks and computers." Clinton was to appear in Philadelphia on Saturday night at a Katy Perry concert and again on Monday with President Obama and her family at an election-eve event in Philadelphia.

"According to the Philadelphia police commissioner, this appears to be a routine theft, and local law enforcement is handling the matter," said Formas. "We have confidence they will resolve it."

Police notified the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security, and all three agencies were still searching for the suspect Saturday. Ross described him as a man wearing a gray sweatshirt, blue jeans, and white sneakers who left the scene carrying three backpacks.

Ross anticipated that a photo of the suspect would be released.

cpalmer@phillynews.com

215-854-2817 @cs_palmer