Surveillance photo
A bungling bandit went 0-for-2 in robbery attempts at a pair of Northeast businesses last week as store employees essentially told him to get lost. But the same man made off with a bag of cash from a third heist on Sunday.
The unidentified crook tried to knock off a Mayfair Acme on April 8, then a Crescentville Rite Aid about an hour later, but left empty-handed both times. The first attempt occurred at about 2:15 p.m. at 6601 Roosevelt Blvd. when the man walked up to an Acme clerk and asked where to find a certain item in the store. The worker led the pair into an aisle, where the would-be patron claimed he had a gun and demanded money. The clerk refusedhe demands, however, prompting the crookn, prompting the crook to flee. He was last seen on Unruh Avenue.
On the same day at about 3:23 p.m., the same offender approached an employee of the Rite Aid at 5694 Rising Sun Ave. in an aisle, claimed that he had a concealed gun and demanded the store’s money. The clerk refused to go to the rear office and returned to the front register area to wait on other patrons. A short time later, the suspicious man approached the register and again demanded money. Again, the clerk refused, so the crook fled the store. He was last seen headed north on Rising Sun Avenue.
On Sunday, the same robber entered the Rite Aid at 6401 Oxford Ave. at 4:38 p.m., told an employee he had a gun and forced the worker to surrender money from the store’s safe. The crook fled northbound on Oxford Avenue with a yellow plastic bag containing cash.
HeOn Sunday, the same robber entered the Rite Aid at 6401 Oxford Ave. at 4:38 p.m., told an employee he had a gun and forced the worker to surrender money from the store’s safe. The crook fled northbound on Oxford Avenue with a yellow plastic bag containing cash.
He was described as black, in his 40s, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and 190 pounds, with a round face and a stocky build. Surveillance video of the suspect is available from the Philadelphia Police channel on YouTube.com. A reward of $2,500 is offered for information leading to his arrest and conviction. Call 215–686-TIPS or text to PPDTIP. ••
