Police arrest man in local burglary

Police arrested a man Sunday night who was burglarizing Tandoor India Restaurant at 106 South 40th Street after he was detained by employees, University Police said yesterday. The incident occurred at about 9:33 p.m. University Police Officer Mike Sylvester was stopped by a passerby and advised of the burglary in process, Lieutenant Susan Holmes said yesterday. University Police said the intruder had entered the building by cutting his way through a back screen door with a pair of wire cutters. University Police and Philadelphia Police apprehended the burglar on the second floor of the restaurant. Gurmail Sing, the principle owner of Tandoor India, said employees on the second floor of the restaurant first sighted the burglar searching through the kitchen area. "One of my partners saw him first," Sing said. "My partner cried out for help and about five employees came. Five or six of us stood in front of the door and wouldn't let him leave." When asked what he was doing in the building, the burglar said he was looking for a job, Sing added. "I said, 'If you were looking for a job, you should have come in through the front door,' " Sing said. According to Sing, the man attempted to dissuade them from calling the police. "He said not to call the police," Sing said. "He said he was homeless." The burglar did not have a chance to steal very much before police arrested him, Sing added. "He just took some change -- only a few dollars -- and he took a package of the cook's cigarettes," Sing said. "It was really a minor thing." Sing added that he would not press charges if the man promised not to steal again. "The guy did look like he was homeless," Sing said. "He was probably looking for food. If he had come to the front door, I would've been happy to give him some food."