Police bust $250,000 meat heist in Delaware County

UPPER DARBY, Pa. (WPVI) -- Police in Delaware County busted an early morning heist involving roughly $250,000 worth of cheesesteak meat, leading to multiple arrests and an ongoing search for a fourth suspect, police said.

Investigators said the theft occurred around 3:50 a.m. on June 3, when a dark-colored Honda Pilot and a Jeep Cherokee pulled up behind a tractor-trailer. Surveillance video shows several hooded and masked suspects exiting the vehicles and unloading the trailer.

Authorities said Upper Darby police were already monitoring the group at the time.

"We knew some of the vehicles and some of the suspects we were looking for," said Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt.

Police arrested three suspects identified as 30-year-old Braheem Jenrette, 28-year-old Yaseen Mohommed and 28-year-old Justin Mond.

A fourth suspect, identified as 23-year-old Tamej Whittacker, remains at large.

"Our advice has been to him from day one is to turn yourself in because we will come and get you, and you are going to be prosecuted," Bernhardt said.

Investigators say the theft is part of a broader pattern.

The June incident marks the sixth theft from a trailer outside Philly's Best Steak Company in Yeadon since December. Surveillance from a January incident shows a similar crime in which more than $30,000 worth of meat was stolen.

In each case, police said the truck driver was asleep inside the cab while waiting for an early morning delivery.

"You cannot hear anything. You could empty that entire truck before they would know," Bernhardt said.

Authorities believe the four suspects are connected to all six thefts at the location and are investigating whether inside information may have played a role.

"We're looking at if there's somewhere in that chain that there's information that's being shared because there's a coincidence that certain times and certain trucks are getting hit when they're here," Bernhardt said.

Police estimate that more than $500,000 worth of meat has been stolen in total. Investigators also believe the suspects may be reselling the stolen goods.

"A lot of the mom and pop steak shops and a lot of your convenience stores are those who are buying the meat, and our warning is if we find out that is the case and we can tie you to it, you could be charged as well," Bernhardt said.

Nearby police departments are also reviewing the case to determine whether the suspects may be connected to similar thefts in other jurisdictions.