Vincent Emmanuel: Latest News

PHILADELPHIA - Convenience store workers in Philadelphia are begging for more support from police to stop the rampant trend of brazen thefts and vandalism that have struck stores across the city. Vincent Emmanuel has worked at a 7-Eleven location on West Passyunk Avenue for 43 years, he says the blatant shoplifting is a trend he's never seen before. "The shoplifting and doing mischief and breaking stuff up and all that has become part of everyday operation," Emmanuel told FOX 29's Joann Pileggi.Surveillance cameras recently captured a man armed with a sledgehammer walk into Emmanuel's store and smash two lottery machines. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESAnother video shows a group of young people take what they want from the store shelves and leave without paying. "Everyday we sit around and expect what’s coming next, what’s happening tomorrow," Emmanuel said. The frequency of thefts and the perceived inadequate response from police have caused some store owners to stop reporting the incidents all together. Alyssa Seilus said she witnessed a theft and reported it to a store employee who told her they weren't going to call the police because "there's no point."Shop workers in Philadelphia are calling on police to help tamp down on the rampant and brazen shoplifting thefts threatening their stores.

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA - Police in South Philadelphia are investigating three armed robberies over a 30-minute period. A fourth holdup took place at a local gas station the day before.It was a scary scene inside a South Philadelphia convenience store Monday night as two masked men stepped to the counter to buy something, pulled out their guns and announced a robbery."They go to work and somebody points a gun at them.