PITTSBURGH — The Apparel House clothing store was robbed three times by the same suspect, the store owner told Channel 11 News each break-in was caught on surveillance video.
The first time the suspect, James Thompson, broke out a window climbed in, and stole items, that was last Monday. Three days later, on Thursday, he broke another window, and now on Tuesday morning, he broke the front door shimmied through the bars, and again stole clothing items this time though he was caught.
>> Pittsburgh business owner says he was burglarized by same person twice in one week
In the video, you can see Thompson trying to break the front window of the Apparel House clothing on Smithfield Street. Unable to break the window, he then smashes through the front door. You see Thompson get in through the broken glass and then pass handfuls of stolen clothing items through the door to someone waiting on the other side.
Last week, police said the same man broke into the apparel house on both Thursday and Monday mornings, making off with thousands of dollars worth of clothing. The store owner told us he spent hundreds replacing the windows with more secure glass.
“2500 dollars each,” said Walid Yasin, the store owner.
But said if police did not arrest the thief, then he would come back for a third time
“Since he got away with it the first time, he is going to do it again, I was thinking of sleeping inside the store,” Yasin said.
That’s what he told us last Thursday. This morning after the third break-in police finally caught the suspect near the Wood Street Commons shelter.
He was arrested but released from jail on Tuesday afternoon without having to pay a dime. Despite policing confirming he was homeless and may have a mental illness. We asked people downtown how that makes them feel knowing this suspect is back on the streets. They told us the city must do better.
“Take a serious look at the [amount of] displaced people that they have down here, there is something that can be done and something that should be done to place these people in safe places,” said Smitty who works Downtown.
Channel 11 News reached out to the court system to find out why Thompson was released from jail without having to pay bond. They did not respond on Tuesday afternoon but provided an update on Wednesday morning. We have now learned that Thompson will undergo an evaluation where a judge will then determine the next steps. He is currently facing multiple charges in connect to this incident including a felony for burglary.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW