Police are searching for a group of armed robbers who they say are targeting pedestrians in the Queen Village and Point Breeze sections of the city.
On October 17 at 11 p.m., police say a 45-year-old man exited a taxi and was walking on a side street on the 700 block of South 4th Street when he was approached by two men, one of whom was armed with a handgun. The suspects allegedly stole an iPhone, credit cards and $15 in cash. They then fled in a green or gray Toyota Camry and fled the scene.
On October 19 at 8:10 a.m., police say a 35-year-old woman was walking on the 700 block of Passyunk Avenue when she was approached by two men, one of whom was armed. The suspects then allegedly took her purse and a cell phone and then fled east on Fitzwater Street before going into the same Toyota Camry from the previous robbery and fleeing the scene.
Finally, on October 22, around 6 a.m., police say two men approached a 41-year-old woman on the 1300 block of South 5th Street. One of the men allegedly grabbed the woman’s bags, containing debit cards, keys and a cell phone, and knocked her to the ground. The suspects then fled with the bag to an awaiting getaway vehicle.
A short time later, police say a third suspect was captured on surveillance video making transactions with the woman’s credit cards. The video then shows the first two suspects placing the purchased items in the same Toyota Camry used in the robberies.
Police suspect four people in all are involved in the crimes with two men committing the robberies and a man and a woman serving as the getaway drivers.
One suspect is described as a thin, dark-skinned male, between the ages of 25 and 30, with close-cropped hair, wearing dark-colored jeans and a black jacket.
The second suspect is described as a Hispanic male, between the ages of 18 and 20, standing between 5-foot-7 and 5-foot-10. During the October 17 and October 19 robberies, police say he wore a gray hooded sweatshirt. During the October 22 robbery, police say he wore a black bomber jacket, grey pants and a dark-colored baseball cap.
A third suspect is described as a dark skinned, medium-built black male between the ages of 18 and 20, standing 6-feet. Police say he wore a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt and dark pants during the October 19 and October 22 robberies.
Police have not yet released a description of the fourth suspect, who they believe to be a woman.
If you have any information on the robberies, please call Philadelphia Police.
