Local man charged
with stealing trucks

A Castor Gardens man was arrested last week after he allegedly stole two trucks and a load of compressed gas canisters from an area welding supply company, then stashed the hazardous materials behind a house in Tacony.
Thirty-four gas canisters were on the back of a 1997 Ford L9000 when Luis Serrano, 26, of the 7000 block of Large St., stole the vehicle from Feltonville-based Pennsylvania Welding Supplies on July 18, police said.
Serrano allegedly also stole a 1995 Ford F-450 from the same business that day.
On July 19, police got a tip that the missing trucks had been delivered to a Port Richmond junkyard.
When officers went to investigate, the owner supplied them with paperwork linking Serrano to the trucks.
The compressed gas was not on the newer truck when it arrived at the junkyard, police said.
The search for Serrano led police to set up surveillance in the area of the junkyard and obtain an arrest warrant for him on July 22.
The following morning, members of the major crimes unit found the suspect at a home on the 6500 block of Marsden St. and arrested him.
While searching the property, investigators found 41 compressed air canisters in the backyard.
Philadelphia Fire Department hazardous material specialists cleared the tanks without any reported injuries.
Serrano was charged with two counts of theft, burglary, risking a catastrophe and related offenses. ••