WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP - Police in Luzerne County are asking for your help in identifying two men caught on camera stealing thousands of dollars worth of cell phones from a store.
Wilkes-Barre Township Police say the theft happened this morning at the Walmart off Highland Park Boulevard.
Wilkes-Barre Township police have posted pictures of two men in these surveillance photos to its Facebook pages in hopes someone may recognize them.
Police say the pictures were snapped as the men left the Walmart on Highland Park Boulevard after committing a smash and grab burglary just before 7 this morning, making off with several iPhones.
“Of iPhones, just iPhones?” asked Nick Leach of Wilkes-Barre.
“’Tis the season,” said Leach’s companion, Ashylnn Hite from West Pittston. “'Tis the season.”
“Probably trying to make a couple bucks,” said Amanda Early of Wilkes-Barre. “It`s Christmas time, anybody`s going to do anything to get a gift for someone.”
Along with stealing 7 iPhone 7 Plus’s, two iPhone 8 Plus’s, police say they stole what they used to commit the crime.
They took a Bostitch rip claw hammer used to smash the display case and a black duffle bag used to carry the phones out of the store.
Police estimate the total value of all the merchandise to be $7,059.
Some shoppers found that a bit amusing.
“So you`re saying that Walmart made all the tools for the smash and grab completely available, how about that?” said Bo Stobodzian from Hanover Township.
“I mean I guess that savvy enough,” laughed Hite.
And Wilkes-Barre Township police believe the men could be responsible for a similar theft from the Walmart in Dickson City.
Dickson City police posted these photos on its Facebook page on September 15th, saying the people in the photos stole tablets and cellphones.
Store officials at the Dickson City Walmart say they aren`t sure if it is the same people.
They do say the two hit their store in the same smash and grab style at the same time in the morning and stole about 5 grand in merchandise.
“See, I`m from New York and I never saw so much trouble sometimes that down here but I still like it here,” said Karen Kotick from Hanover Township.
Police believe the men left the store this morning in a black sedan possibly a Chevy Cruz.
If you recognize them, you are asked to call Wilkes-Barre Township police.
