Police investigating burglaries at church-run bowling center
Cash, a laptop and other items were reportedly stolen from the bowling alley run by St. Monica Parish in South Philly.
Police are investigating a couple of burglaries that occurred last week at a church-run bowling center in South Philadelphia.
Surveillance images posted Tuesday show several teens around the front desk of St. Monica Lanes, 1601 W. Shunk St., on Friday and Saturday.
The Rev. Joseph Kelley of St. Monica Parish said it appears the teens got in through a gym door that wasn't properly closed at St. Monica Senior School (which serves grades 3 to 8).
They then went downstairs into the bowling alley, he said.
The thieves broke in about 6 to 8 p.m. Friday and again about 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, at times when the bowling center was not open, Kelley said. He said the center was ransacked and a laptop, cash and customer supplies were taken.
"This is what is heartbreaking," he said of how young the alleged bandits appeared to be.
Philadelphia Police Capt. Lou Campione, of the First District, said the burglaries were reported about noon Monday.
"We're concerned," he said. He added that the bowling center is a "good, vital part of the community."
Neither he nor the pastor knew how much cash was stolen. The manager of the bowling alley did not immediately return a call on Tuesday.
No one in the South Detective Division, which is investigating the burglaries, was immediately available Tuesday for further details.
A community group called Taking Our South Philadelphia Streets Back posted about the burglaries on its Facebook page late Monday night. The police First District tweeted a link to the community group's Facebook page on Tuesday.
Anyone with information about the alleged thieves is asked to call South Detectives at 215-686-3013 or the police First District at 215-686-3010.