Surveillance photo
A bumbling robber with a pocket knife attempted and failed to hold up a couple of Northeast Philadelphia businesses on Mischief Night, but he ended up with a jar of loose change and small bills for his troubles. Police hope that surveillance video from the two targeted businesses will help them generate leads on the identity of the unknown bandit.
Two would-be robberies occurred about 10 minutes apart on Oct. 30. Shortly before 10 p.m., patrol cops from the 8th district were called to Fresh Works at 4048 Woodhaven Road after someone tried to rob the place. A 35-year-old clerk told officers that a man entered the store holding a knife and demanding money. The employee told the robber that he had no cash in the register, police said, so the crook grabbed a tip jar from the counter and ran out the door. The entire episode lasted about 10 seconds. In the video, the tip jar appears mostly empty. Police did not disclose how much money it contained.
Shortly after 10 p.m., the same man showed up at the Getty station at 8789 Frankford Ave., pointed a knife toward a 62-year-old clerk and demanded money, police said. When the clerk refused, the robber reached over the counter and grabbed for the register momentarily, but he didn’t get the cash drawer open. After several seconds, the robber bolted toward the door then stopped in his tracks and looked out the window as if he was nervously awaiting his getaway ride.
The robber then exited the business and walked to a nearby corner, where he got into a white minivan. Surveillance video from the gas station showed the crook before the hold-up exiting the passenger side of the same white minivan. The driver of the van is not visible in the video.
To view the video, visit the Philadelphia Police channel on YouTube.com. Call 215–686-TIPS or text to PPD TIP to report information. ••
