Police investigating after van stolen from Oxford Circle daycare center
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia police are investigating after someone stole a minivan from a daycare center that serves children from low income families.
The unmarked van was parked along Cheltenham Avenue right out front of the Amazing Kidz Academy early Tuesday morning when it was stolen.
"There's a person in there we have an intruder please contact the police," Lisa Smith, the owner of Amazing Kidz Academy, said.
Surveillance images show a thief breaking into the Amazing Kidz Academy to steal the keys to a white 2020 Toyota Sienna used to pick and drop off students whose parents have to work.
"It's part of our life blood of making sure our services are delivered to our families," Smith said.
Smith says Tuesday without the van, about a dozen families had to figure out another option.
"We had to cancel the transportation for the children and the parents had to come home from work early or they couldn't go to work," Smith said.
"It's unfortunate because I really feel bad for the families and the kids," Clarence Morris, the vice president of Amazing Kidz Academy, said.
Morris says the same van was stolen and returned back in June. He worries the center's proximity to Oxford Circle along Roosevelt Boulevard makes them an easy target and is hoping the person responsible this time will return it again.
"Hopefully we retrieve our van because our van means more than anything because buying a new van right now it would cost so much money," Morris said.
As Philadelphia police investigate, Smith says she's asked for a crime camera to be installed at the corner of Cheltenham and Loretto Avenues to help deter future incidents.
She's also seeking help from the community.
"Maybe the families that are in the community know something, or perhaps it's their child, or it's a relative of theirs they can stand up and speak up and participate in garnering the safety we need," Smith said.
Anyone with information on the suspect or where the van may be is asked to call Philadelphia police.