Philadelphia cops find dismembered body in the back of a U-Haul truck leaving the suspected burglary

Philadelphia cops find dismembered body in the back of a U-Haul truck that was leaving the home of a suspected burglary – and later find a leg and other parts in a trash can outside a Wawa

  • Officers with the Philadelphia Police Department found a dismembered body in a trash bag in the back of a U-Haul van during a traffic stop 
  • Someone had called 911 for a burglary in progress, telling authorities that the U-Haul truck had been seen leaving the scene
  • Both the driver and the passenger were taken into custody
  • Authorities also found a weapon in the back of the truck
  • Officers discovered a leg and a hand on Thursday night, in a dumpster behind a Wawa convenience store at Kelvin Street and Bustleton Avenue 
  • Sgt. Gripp said police conducted a welfare check on the Sanibel Street home of Peter Gerold Wednesday after a neighbor called
  • Pieces of body parts were found in an unattached garage behind Gerold’s home 

Multiple body parts have been found across two crime scenes in Philadelphia Thursday, according to local authorities looking to see if the two cases are possibly linked.  

Officers with the Philadelphia Police Department found a dismembered body in a trash bag in the back of a U-Haul truck during a traffic stop at around 9am on the 1000 block of Sanibel Street in the Somerton area of the city. 

Someone had called 911 for a burglary in progress, telling authorities that the U-Haul truck had been seen leaving the scene, investigators told ABC 6. 

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Officers with the Philadelphia Police Department found a dismembered body in a trash bag in the back of a U-Haul truck during a traffic stop

Officers with the Philadelphia Police Department found a dismembered body in a trash bag in the back of a U-Haul truck during a traffic stop

Someone had called 911 for a burglary in progress, telling authorities that the U-Haul truck had been seen leaving the scene

Someone had called 911 for a burglary in progress, telling authorities that the U-Haul truck had been seen leaving the scene

The driver and the passenger inside the rental vehicle did not try to run when the U-Haul was pulled over by police. 

According to police spokesperson Sgt. Eric Gripp, the driver was extremely forthcoming about the contents of the vehicle.  

‘The vehicle pulled over, and as soon as the officers got out of the car the driver of the U-Haul just came right out the door and said, “I don’t want anything to do with this,” and “There’s a body in the back,'” Gripp said.

Both the driver and the passenger were taken into custody. Authorities also found a weapon in the back of the truck. 

Both the driver and the passenger were taken into custody

Both the driver and the passenger were taken into custody

Officers discovered a leg and a hand on Thursday night, in a dumpster behind a Wawa convenience store at Kelvin Street and Bustleton Avenue

Officers discovered a leg and a hand on Thursday night, in a dumpster behind a Wawa convenience store at Kelvin Street and Bustleton Avenue

Officers discovered a leg and a hand on Thursday night, in a dumpster behind a Wawa convenience store at Kelvin Street and Bustleton Avenue. The scene was less than a third of a mile away from where the dismembered body had been found. 

Police said that the body parts could belong to the same person.

Sgt. Gripp said police conducted a welfare check on the Sanibel Street home of Peter Gerold Wednesday after a neighbor called.

While police found nothing unusual when they arrived, neighbors did tell them that Gerold car’s had been missing for a week. 

Sgt. Gripp said police conducted a welfare check on the Sanibel Street home of Peter Gerold Wednesday after a neighbor called

Sgt. Gripp said police conducted a welfare check on the Sanibel Street home of Peter Gerold Wednesday after a neighbor called

Pieces of body parts were found in an unattached garage behind Gerold's home

Pieces of body parts were found in an unattached garage behind Gerold’s home

Police have not indicated whether the body has been identified as Gerold – known for operating a Kneading You Therapy massage practice out of his home. 

Pieces of body parts were found in an unattached garage behind Gerold’s home, police shared. They also said it appeared someone tried to burn a body. 

So far, the two men taken into custody have not been charged with a crime. 

Neighbors said that Gerold was friendly with the community, delivering honey he grew to their homes and known for his love for his exotic pets. 

‘He was always willing to help people no matter what; it’s so sad,’ said next door neighbor Tiffany McLean said. 

Gerold was also known for lending a helping hand to people and may have been too trusting, said neighbor Linda Xander.  

‘We figured he was always helping them do something, you know…I guess this is his payback for doing something nice,’ said Xander.     

source: dailymail.co.uk