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Chester County businesses feel impact of Cavalcante manhunt
As law enforcement searches for convicted killer Danelo Cavalcante, local shops and restuarants are seeing fewer customers the longer he remains on the run.
PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. - A prisoner on the loose can have quite an impact on businesses as potential customers try to figure out whether they want to go out and about when police are attempting to track down a convicted murderer.
The downtown business district in Phoenixville was sparsely populated with pedestrians and shoppers Sunday.
Lt. Col. George Bivens, of the Pennsylvania State Police, stated, at a briefing, "Investigators were also made aware of another sighting in the Phoenixville area, in which Cavalcante appeared at a residence of an old work associate, around 10:07 p.m."
"Word had gotten out last night around 2:30 a.m., that somebody at Wawa spotted him and troopers descended on the area and the word got out quickly," restaurant owner, Sarah Rosenfeldt, said.
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So, the manhunt for convicted murderer and escapee, Danelo Cavalcante shifted from Kennett Square, where he allegedly stole a utility van and drove to Phoenixville, causing concern among residents and business owners.
"We were looking on our phones, like everybody else, on Twitter, trying to find updates," Rosenfeldt commented.
Rosenfeldt opened her boutique restaurant Sunday, despite the sighting of Cavalcante and said locals were relieved when state police put out a notice that the escaped fugitive was later sighted about 20 miles away. "I was worried that nobody would come out to eat and there would be nobody to serve."
While the exhaustive manhunt moved again, police were able to obtain newer photos of Cavalcante from a Ring camera, after he escaped from the Longwood Gardens area, which had been heavily fortified by search teams for days.
"This is a minor setback. We’ll get him. It’s just a matter of time," Lt. Col. Bivens added.
"It’s scary how he was getting all the stuff," stated shopper Alyssa Culver. "How did he shave? Where did he get the different clothes? Stealing cars. Yeah, we’re all just a little uneasy, but we’d like him to be found, obviously."