Thieves Targeting Numerous Bensalem Retailers

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA —The Kohl's crimes are adding up. But so are retail thefts at home improvement stores and supermarkets, police said.

As the Bensalem Township Police Department tries to combat retail crimes that have risen 35 percent in the past two years, Sgt. Glenn Vandegrift told Patch Tuesday that retail bandits aren't just targeting Kohl's —they're everywhere.

And Bensalem has had its share so far for the first quarter of the year.

Thieves have walked away with lots of perfume from Kohl's. Last month, police said they were seeking someone who had made numerous retail thefts.

And don't forget the two recent incidents in which bandits got away with Legos from two places.

"We post retail thefts from Kohl's, Home Depot, Lowe's, and others and we catch a lot of these people," Vandegrift said.

Bensalem Police posted on Friday about another suspect hitting the Home Depot at 900 Rockhill Dr.

On March 11, police said a man entered the store around 7 p.m. and stole a Ridgid K-400 Drum, valued at $597, and left without paying.

Bensalem recently held a summit with businesses to crack down on retail crime and help spread the word.

Vandegrift said that a lot of mom-and-pop shops also have retail crimes, but don't always report them.

He said that those smaller businesses don't have security like a Kohl's or Loss Prevention like a Giant Food Market.

The summit was held in conjunction with the Bensalem Economic Development Committee.

As part of the initiative, the Bensalem EDC has funded signs for all businesses to display as part of our deterrence efforts and established an anonymous hotline to report employee theft.

"We do get reports," he said. "But the big box stores can report them more easily. They have facial cameras so why not put the video out there."

Anyone with information on any recent retail crimes should submit an anonymous tip to CrimeWatch or contact Bensalem Police at 215-633-3719.