Armed robber
has cops’ attention

Philadelphia police are seeking the public’s help in identifying a man who has committed four armed robberies and a burglary in the same lower Northeast strip mall since late October.
The robber has held up a Radio Shack on the 4500 block of Castor Ave. twice and a neighboring Family Dollar twice, according to Lt. Mark Burgmann of Northeast Detectives.
Besides the robberies, police believe the same man burglarized the same Family Dollar store once during non-business hours.
Using surveillance video and witness accounts, detectives have determined that the suspect has used similar tactics in each robbery. He approaches the cashier as if to purchase an item and announces the holdup when the clerk opens the cash register.
In all four robberies, the man has used a large black handgun, Burgmann said, and physically assaulted store employees. One time, he also used a shotgun. In at least one instance, the crook brandished a gun with two children standing at the sales counter.
The first reported crime occurred on Oct. 28. The most recent was on Nov. 12, Burgmann said.
The suspect is described as black, in his late teens or early 20s, with light facial hair. Investigators believe he works alone and has fled the stores on foot. He is considered armed and dangerous.
Call Northeast Detectives at 215-686-3153 to report information about the crimes. ••