63370363
Police responded to a “report of a person cooking a cat” Sunday. It was unclear at press time what sparked the pet mistreatment.
At 10:15 a.m. on the 1800 block of Dickinson Street, the responding officer saw a charred cat hanging in the side yard while Alvair Desousa, 40, allegedly starred at him as he sat on the side steps of his home, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said. When the officer began walking toward Desousa, he is believed to have fled into a side garage door and secured it.
Back-up officers arrived and tried to make contact with Desousa, who allegedly spoke to them through a closed front door, is believed to have relayed that he was a “diplomat” and a “sovereign nation,” Tolliver said. Police noticed the scent of gasoline and saw two young children at a second-floor window, and deemed Desousa a barricaded person at 11:09 a.m. Officers set up a perimeter while members from SWAT, Homeland Security and South Detective Division attempted to negotiate. Desousa allegedly conversed with authorities at his front window on a few occasions while holding his infant son.
DeSousa surrendered to police at 5:13 p.m. The children were returned to their mother and a medic unit transported them to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for evaluation, Tolliver said.
A search warrant did not recover any weapons, but detectives discovered gasoline and torch fuel poured throughout certain areas of the home, Tolliver said.
SWAT, Bomb Squad and the Fire Department cleared the home; Animal Care & Control Team removed the feline from the yard; PECO and Philadelphia Gas Works disconnected services upon discovering alleged illegal hookups; and the Department of Human Services was contacted for a follow-up inquiry, Tolliver said. The Department of Licenses and Inspections inspected the property and planned to issue a stop work order for construction projects that are lacking proper permits and are in violation of the building code.
Desousa was charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person, as well as a count of arson, causing catastrophe and possession of an instrument of crime, according to court records. His bail, which he had not posted as of press time, was set at $300,000 Monday.
Desousa, whose address is listed as Houston, Texas in court records, was convicted in Philly for 1997 murder and possession of an instrument of crime charges, according to court records.
Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
Also in this week’s Police Report:
Seeking suspect
Pickup setup
Disguised transaction
Hidden burglaries
Unlucky occurrence
Snatched up
17th District July block rep meeting
Web-exclusive Police Report:
PECO warns of scam
28043647
