Recent crimes topic
of 2nd PDAC meeting

By Lauren Fritsky
Times Staff Writer

It’s been no field day for the 2nd Police District.
The shootings and odd incidents that have taken place over the last few weeks were discussed at the Oct. 9 meeting of the 2nd Police District Advisory Council.
On Oct. 3, police and animal welfare agents responded to reports of a foul odor coming from a home at Horrocks and Hellerman streets belonging to Jerri Diane Sueck. Inside, they found 62 cats and dogs in poor health and unsanitary conditions.
On Oct. 4, Joe Alullo, 54, and William Widmaier, 65, two armored-truck guards who had formerly worked together in the 7th Police District, were shot and killed at a Wachovia Bank at Bustleton and Bleigh avenues.
On Oct. 7, Donte Woodland, 21, allegedly stabbed his brother, Dale Wilson, 19, to death and wounded his mother during an argument in their home on the 1300 block of Greeby St. On Oct. 8, police shot and killed 15-year-old Ronald Timbers, who had allegedly been involved in a domestic dispute with his mother and threatened officers with a clothing iron inside his home on the 600 block of Brill St.
Other crimes included the Sept. 24 shooting of a man on the 6200 block of Loretto Ave., and the Oct. 2 shooting and robbery of an elderly man who was riding his bike on the 6000 block of Castor Ave.
Community relations officer Mark Mroz commended the community for not falling victim to the "don’t snitch" mentality of withholding information about incidents, especially in the armored guard crime.
"Philadelphians on the whole were all looking for that man and that car," he said of the tips that led to the arrest of Mustafa Ali, 36, who later reportedly confessed to killing the guards. "Those widows can be content that he’ll never walk the street again."
Crime isn’t the only thing keeping 2nd district officers busy. They’re going after nuisance rental properties as well. Specifically, Mroz is targeting rental management companies, which work as middlemen between landlords and tenants.
A hearing at the Zoning Board of Adjustment for one rental management company is set for the end of the month.
"We try to locate the owner. Some don’t speak English; some don’t have current addresses," Mroz said.
In other news from the Oct. 9 meeting:
• The group recognized the Officers of the Month for July and August.
• Mroz received the award for July for saving the life of a toddler who’d stopped breathing. Officers Timothy Fitzgibbon and Michael Long got the August award for responding to a car theft and later arresting the suspect, who had several firearms in the car.
• The group voted to move its monthly meetings to the Philadelphia Protestant Home at 6500 Tabor Ave., citing more room for parking, air-conditioning and better security. The group did not say when it would move the meetings to that location.
• The group voted against supporting the Mural Arts Program painting murals on several businesses in the area. The business owners apparently requested the murals on their properties.
• Eric Hardaway, a community organizer for state Rep. Dwight Evans (D-203rd dist.), announced that the legislator’s third annual town meeting will take place on Thursday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m., at Benjamin Franklin School, 5735 Rising Sun Ave. Evans and state Rep. Mark Cohen (D-202nd dist.) invite constituents to peruse valuable resources provided by various community groups, city departments and state agencies.
• The group’s police holiday dinner is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 16, from noon to 6 p.m., at Northeast Community Center, 2840 Holme Ave. This year’s event will be more like a luncheon for officers and their families, leaders said.
• State Rep. John Sabatina (D-174th dist.) and City Councilman Frank Rizzo (R-at-large) stopped by the meeting to offer their support to the community. ••
The 2nd Police District Advisory Council next meets on Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m., at Glading Memorial Presbyterian Church, Cheltenham and Loretto avenues.
Reporter Lauren Fritsky can be reached at 215-354-3038 or lfritsky@phillynews.com