Donald Thomas apparently went to the well once too often.
After allegedly robbing five different Northeast Philadelphia businesses at gunpoint on a combined seven occasions since mid-June, and escaping successfully each time, police were waiting for Thomas when he allegedly tried to hold up the Family Dollar at 4501 Castor Ave. on Aug. 17. And so was an alert store employee.
After Thomas, 58, of the 1100 block of Harrison St., pointed a gun at one clerk and demanded money, another worker ran outside and contacted police. As Thomas fled the business and was approaching his suspected getaway car, patrol cops grabbed him. A woman, Evette Simpson, was waiting inside the vehicle, so police arrested her, too.
Thomas was charged with eight robberies or attempted robberies at King Perfume at 4602 Frankford Ave. on June 11, Oxford 99 Cents at 5401 Oxford Ave. on July 10 and Aug. 11, Family Dollar at 4501 Castor Ave. on July 12 and Aug. 17, Dollar Tree at 8045 Frankford Ave. on July 19 and Aug. 11 and Family Dollar at 5807 Frankford Ave. on Aug. 4.
Simpson, 46, of the 1100 block of Harrison St., was charged with just the Aug. 17 crime. ••
