Separate Crimes Target Port Richmond Youth

An attempted luring day after teens are robbed

Two men allegedly robbed a group of teens at gunpoint in Port Richmond Wednesday night.

Three teen girls and three teen boys were held up at the corner of Clearfield and Edgemont Streets.

“I had a gun to my face -- I could have died,” said a 17-year-old who didn’t want to be identified.

The attack happened just blocks from where the teens lived.

“They told us they were giving us to five and they started counting down to give them all our stuff,” said an 18-year-old teen. “If we didn’t they were gonna shoot us.”

The only description given of the robbers was that one of the men had a teardrop tattoo on his cheek. They got away with the teens’ cell phones and ten bucks in cash. They fled in what was described as a maroon van.

Then on Thursday a man allegedly tried to lure a 10-year-old girl on the 3500 block of Gaul Street. He also was driving a maroon van but police believe it wasn’t the same vehicle used by the robbers.

The alleged crimes have the Port Richmond neighborhood on high alert Families are sticking together, and neighbors in this tight-knit community are using the web to warn each other to be more cautious, and to watch for anything suspicious.

“Just know you’re in Port Richmond and we’re not going to go for this -- if you come into our neighborhood we’re gonna come get you,” said one of the victim’s fathers with a smirk.

If anyone sees anything suspicious or know anything about these crimes they should contact Philly Police.


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