SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A suspect in the killing of a Philadelphia police officer is being charged for an alleged car theft ring in Scranton, officials stated.
According to the Scranton Police Department, on April 6, seven people engaged in a plan to burglarize Churilla Auto Sales on North Keyser Avenue.
Police say after the group cut the power and forced entry into the building, the suspects ransacked the interior of the building, stealing around $70,000 in cash and six cars from the lot equaling a total value of $250,000.
Investigators said they were able to use GPS to track one of the stolen cars and say the suspects made stops in Plains Township, Luzerne County before traveling to the Philadelphia/Camden area.
As stated in the affidavit, after a lengthy investigation, police were able to identify one of the suspects as Alexander Batista-Polanco, 21, of Camden, New Jersey. Three other individuals were also identified however, three others have not been identified.
Batista-Polanco has been charged with burglary, trespassing, theft, stolen property, and criminal conspiracy.
Batista-Polanco was recently arrested by Philadelphia investigators as a suspect in the shooting of police officer Richard Mendez, who was killed on October 12.
