March 22, 2007 Issue                                       

©2007 The Chestnut Hill Local

Mt. Airy antique thefts suggest pattern of pros
by Kristin Pazulski

Thieves removed these two large, brass lamps from infront of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Mt. Airy.

After a rash of thefts last week involving, heavy — likely valuable — pieces in Mt. Airy, neighborhood organizations are warning residents to keep a look out, suspecting the thefts were connected and professionally orchestrated.

After the last in three thefts last week, Laura Siena, WMAN executive director, wrote in an e-mail that “there seems to be a trend here, so let’s all keep our eyes and ears open and contact the police department whenever you suspect a crime is being committed.”

Northwest Detectives is investigating one of the thefts, but has not yet determined there to be a connection with the others.

The first was from Holy Cross Catholic Church on Mt. Airy Avenue. Two tall, bronze lamps that stood at the church’s entrance were carefully removed, said Regina Urmson, the church’s business manager, between Sunday, March 11 and Monday, March 12.

The ornate, six-foot high lamps were lifted, the wires carefully snipped and then taken away, she said.

“Someone really smart came and checked the place out, then carried them off,” Urmson said. The lamps are thought to have been installed in 1923, when the church was built.

There are no leads, and police suspect the thieves acted during the day.

“Human nature, being what it is, seems to believe that anyone acting in broad daylight must be authorized to do whatever work is being done,” read the warning that went out to East Mt. Airy Neighbors’ members.

Another theft removed two, 6-foot wide wooden benches from the exterior of an Emlen Street home in the early morning hours of Sunday, March 11.

Vangy and James Maddox, who have lived in the home for 50 years, slept through the theft, but Vangy Maddox said neighbors heard a noise around 3 a.m., and went downstairs to check their own home. They did not look toward the Maddox’s home.

The benches, which were integrated into the architecture of the front porch and weigh hundreds of pounds, have been there since 1906, when the home was built, Maddox said.

“It was not a crime of opportunity, but rather well planned,” read Maddox’s warning that went out to Pelham Town Watch members about the theft.

In order to remove the benches, the thieves carefully moved and restacked a pile of planks that were on the porch to the lawn, said Maddox, and the mailbox brace attached to the benches was removed as well.

“I couldn’t tell you how much they weigh, but definitely a couple hundred pounds,” she said. “Two people would struggle to carry them off.”

Maddox said she is watching Ebay and Craigslist, in hopes the thieves will attempt to sell them.

“The thieves were people who are in the business of doing this,” she said. “This isn’t the kids in the neighborhood.”

Between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, a large cast iron planter was removed from the yard of Project Learn School on Germantown Avenue. The planter, estimated to weigh about 500 to 600 pounds, was emptied of its dirt before being taken, said Lucy Miller, the school’s administrative coordinator. “It had to be organized people,” she said.

She was not sure of the exact value, Miller said, but “I assume it would be very valuable.”

Miller said parents had reported seeing young men look at the planter the day before the theft, but she is unsure if there is a connection.

Northwest Detectives is investigating the Emlen Street theft, but the detective on that case was unaware of the other two when the Local called last Thursday. Patrick Valentino said he heard about the theft of Project Learn’s planter, but that the school had not yet reported it to District 14 police so it was not yet part of the investigation.

Valentino was in training on Monday, and unable to provide an update the case.

Contact Kristin Pazulski at 215-248-8819 or Kristin@chestnuthilllocal.com.