by KYW's Steve Tawa
Some special people in law enforcement and security took center stage on Thursday during the annual Center City District crime prevention awards.
One group, security officers for Allied Barton security services, brought an end to a one-man laptop computer theft spree plaguing downtown office buildings.
The Center City District's Stacy Irving was among those handing out the awards at a luncheon at the Marriott Hotel at the convention center on Market Street:
"Whenever he entered an office building with a cell phone in his ear, telling personnel he had an appointment with an attorney, he'd sign the visitor's log with a fictitious name."
But she says that Kevin Williams was actually stealing their laptops. In one surveillance video, he walked out with at least eight laptops.
Local building managers sent word around, and a sharp-eyed security officer recognized the suspect as someone who just tried to talk his way into his building.
From that surveillance photo, and the aliases he used, Williams finally made a wrong turn. The guards recognized him from the alert:
"What Williams didn't realize was that the fifth floor housed the district attorney's offices."
When he realized his mistake, he bolted through the door. But security and the DA's detectives caught up with Williams, holding him until police arrived.
(Photo by KYW's Steve Tawa)
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