Police: Man Posing As Fire Investigator Arrested - Fox 2 News Headlines

Police: Man Posing As Fire Investigator Arrested

Philadelphia police say a man who allegedly posed as a fire investigator and stole electronics was arrested this week.

According to police, the man was involved in thefts at three different Center City locations before he was arrested on Thursday.

Police say 26-year-old Christopher Kieter was taken into custody at his home on the 200 block of S. 13th Street earlier this week after investigators recovered the stolen items.

Investigators say the thefts started on January 3rd, when a suspect, Kieter, walked into the Academy of Music wearing a Philadelphia Fire Department shirt and carrying a handheld radio. Police say Kieter used his real name when talking with security.

During the alleged inspection, police say security lost sight of him at which point he allegedly stole a computer and a pair of headphones along with a radio that had "les Mis" written on the front of it.

The next night, January 4th, police say Kieter entered another Center City building posing as a fire inspector. Police say he was wearing a Philadelphia Fire Department sweatshirt and carried a handheld radio with a microphone.

In just 28 minutes, police say Kieter was captured on surveillance video reaching behind a concierge desk and taking a handheld radio valued at $2,500. A microphone, worth more than $600, was also reported missing from another area of the building.

On January 8th, police say another incident took place, this time at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. In the third incident, police say Kieter inspected fire extinguishers, removed several tags and even allegedly warned the building manager of a fine if the fire extinguisher tags were not replaced.

At one point, Kieter allegedly told employees they needed to leave the building's equipment cage so that he could spray some type of fume into the air. When employees returned, they noticed two laptops were missing from the equipment cage.

Police say Kieter used his name when signing into a visitors log.

Kieter faces Criminal Trespass, Theft-Unlawful Taking and Impersonating charges.