2 charged for illegally dumping 200-350 tires in Philadelphia train station parking lot
Hundreds of tires dumped from UHaul at North Philly train station
Two men face criminal charges after officers found hundreds of dumped tires in a UHaul at North Philadelphia Train Station, police investigating further cases.
PHILADELPHIA - Two men are facing charges after investigators say hundreds of tires were illegally dumped in a North Philadelphia parking lot.
What we know:
Charles Arttaway, 52, and Paul Gamble, 58, were both charged with criminal mischief, criminal conspiracy, and scattering rubbish.
Investigators believe Gamble, a Darby resident, rented a UHaul truck that Arttaway was observed using to offload 200-350 tires in the parking lot of North Philadelphia Train Station on the 1400 block of W Indiana Avenue.
Charles Arttaway, 52, and Paul Gamble, 58.
Police are trying to determine if the same UHaul truck was used in other illegal dumping incidents around the city.
What they're saying:
The Philadelphia Police Department applauded officers for their "swift action in interrupting an active illegal dumping operation and apprehending those allegedly responsible."
"Illegal dumping negatively impacts neighborhoods, creates environmental hazards, and diminishes the quality of life for Philadelphia residents," the department wrote. "This incident highlights the Department's continued commitment to addressing quality-of-life concerns, protecting our communities, and holding individuals accountable for illegal activity."
Daryl Davis says he takes several tow calls a day, but this was a first.
He showed up to take away a U-haul from the 1400 block of West Indiana on Tuesday, right off Broad Street, and saw hundreds of tires spilling out of it.
"That was like 1:30 in the morning, just to see that, yeah, it was crazy," says Davis, who owns Davis Group Towing and Recovery. "Soon as I pulled up I see tires spilled out everywhere, on the side, I was just like I was just stunned."
The Philadelphia Police Department’s Neighborhood Services United calls the lot a "legacy" short dumping spot. In just the last month and a half, they say they had nine cases involving tires and box trucks. There was even a fresh pile of tires visible behind in the fence in the parking lot today.
Police say they have cameras in the area, along with sanitation. As they collaborate with other city agencies, police say the city will also pursue fines in these cases—a maximum of $5,000 per tire, along with clean-up costs.
They will also investigate if the pair is connected to any other cases.
"It is a crime. Minimum, it’s a misdemeanor. It can rise to a felony level. It's an arrestable offense, so it's not a ticket. It's not a citation," says Lt. Christopher Lantz of the Neighborhood Services Unit. "It's harmful. Harmful to the environment, especially tires. Tires are toxic, very difficult to get rid of, very difficult to recycle. and there's a cost associated with that. And unfortunately, the cost comes on to city, which is you and me. We the taxpayers have to pay for that."
The Source: Information provided by the Philadelphia Police Department.