UPDATED: July 28, 1:22 p.m.
The reports of police cars being burned started to come in around 2:30 a.m. Monday. Staff Inspector Sekou Kinebrew said all four incidents happened during a 45-minute stretch beginning at 1:45 a.m.
Two cars were burned in Center City and two in Southwest Philadelphia.
“It appears in most of the cases, the fires were set by introducing a Molotov cocktail to the area of the vehicle, either under the vehicle or into the vehicle. The vehicles sustained various levels of damage and our fleet managers are accessing it,” he said.
KYW Newsradio visited three intersections where burned cars were located. On 39th and Chestnut streets, the front passenger-side of a police cruiser was charred, a hole where a headlight was, the wheel flattened.
Police have not said if they know if one person or several people were involved. No one has been arrested, and Kinebrew said police don’t believe these were random acts.
These incidents happened in areas where there are a lot of businesses, so police say they’ll be looking at video from surveillance cameras.
The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 is offering a $5,000 for any information leading to the arrest.
“We need to get this individual off the street immediately before these incidents escalate and an officer or resident are severely injured,” said FOP President John McNesby.
People can submit a tip at 215-686-TIPS or call 911.
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