After protest, city fixes police camera that failed to record purse shooting

A memorial at the site of the murder.

This morning, city workers finally got around to repairing a defective police surveillance camera on the corner of 53rd and Market. It was there, about one week ago, that 29-year-old Melissa Thomas was shot dead for her purse after leaving the Tropical Heat bar. Without surveillance footage from the broken camera, police still have no leads.

The repairs came after a protest this past Saturday morning, in spite of the bitterly cold weather, that drew an emotional crowd to the site of Thomas' murder, under the roaring El train.

The demonstration, called "Handbags 4 Peace" was organized by 40-year-old Tyema Sanchez of Northern Liberties. Sanchez said in a recent interview with Philadelphia Daily News that "[women of this city] are not being protected."

Among the dozens in attendance was Stephanie Long, the mother of Amber Long, who watched her 26-year-old daughter gunned down in a botched Northern Liberties purse-snatching less than three weeks ago.

"It's too late for a murderer. Nothing can bring my daughter back; nothing can undo his crime." said a tearful Long to demonstrators.

Thomas and Long were just two victims in a recent string of violent purse thefts. A third happened just a few weeks after Long's murder in North Philly. 23-year-old Derrick Moye was shot in the chest after he chased two men responsible for snatching his girlfriend's purse. Moye has since been released from the hospital and two suspects are in custody.

Despite rewards, media attention and pleading families, the police have been left with little to go on. While the city has fixed the defective camera, as with most things in Philadelphia, it's just a little too late.