Three Philadelphia men were charged in Montgomery County with stealing tens of thousands of dollars in power tools over a two month period.
Police were able to reconstruct their whereabouts through cell phone tower records.
Matthew Suarez, Nicholas Suarez and Donald Hodum face 197 counts of theft by unlawful taking, conspiracy and related offenses.
Police say the men targeted work vans in Chester, Montgomery and Delaware counties.
Investigators originally stopped the men after a concerned citizen in Whitemarsh Township reported suspicious activity. Officers found numerous stolen tools in the mens’ vehicle, according to prosecutors.
Police then analyzed cell phone tower data to determine that the men were in the area of several thefts at the time they occurred.
Prosecutors say the ring took about $72,000 worth of tools.
