Three men caught on camera holding up a Southwest Philadelphia corner store could be the same men responsible for killing three people during a similar robbery in West Philadelphia about a month later, according to Philadelphia Police.
Police say the same men could be responsible for three separate incidents in three different Philadelphia neighborhoods and they need the public’s help to find the suspects.
Last week, Philly Police released surveillance video and information from an Aug. 7, 2011 incident when cops say two armed men robbed the Jaquez Grocery Store at S 62nd and Reedland Streets while a third man stood lookout. The suspects in that robbery made off with $2,300 and a cell phone, cops said.
The same three men possibly committed at least two other robberies including robbing the Norris Mini Market on the 2000 block of Gratz Street in North Philly on July 25 and Lorena’s Grocery at 50th and Parrish Streets on Sept. 6, according to police.
Police say that during the September robbery two armed men entered the corner store while a third man served as the lookout. During that robbery the store's owner Porfirio Nunez, who turned 50 the day he was killed, his wife Carmen, 49, and Lina Sanchez, 42, were shot to death, police said.
Surveillance from the September incident was grainy.
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Police gave descriptions of the suspects caught on much clearer surveillance video during the Jaquez Grocery robbery from August.
The first armed suspect is described as a thin black male between 20 to 30 years old with a full beard who was wearing a blue Dodgers hat, dark long sleeve polo shirt, light blue jeans and black sneakers. He was carrying a TEC-9 gun.
The second suspect is described as a black male between 20 to 30 years old who was wearing a red hat with Polo emblem, light colored long sleeve thermal shirt and dark jeans. He was carrying a black handgun.
The lookout is described as a heavyset black male between 20 to 30 years old who was wearing a light-colored hat with Polo emblem, dark short sleeve shirt, light colored cargo pants and light-colored sneakers.
There is $50,000 worth of rewards -- including $20,000 from the city fund -- for information leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects in this case.
Anyone with information on any of these incidents should contact Philadelphia Police at 215-686-TIPS (8477) or call 911 if they see the suspects.
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