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A masked gunman hid inside a Holmesburg dollar store on Sunday afternoon only to emerge minutes after closing time, handcuff two employees and rob the place.
The crime occurred at the Dollar Tree, on the 8000 block of Frankford Ave. The suspect escaped with about $2,000 cash, but neither employee was injured, a Philadelphia police spokeswoman said.
According to Officer Christine O’Brien, police are looking for a Hispanic man with a thick accent. He is in his 20s, stands about 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds.
The suspect entered the store at about 5:50 p.m. but managed to hide until employees locked the doors shortly after 6 p.m. At about 6:10, he burst into an employee area at the rear of the store, pointed a silver revolver at the victims and demanded money from a safe.
He stuffed the cash into a black bag and bound the two workers around the wrists with plastic ties. He fled on foot out a rear door.
The bandit wore a gray ski mask over his face, as well as a black hoodie sweatshirt with a gold design on it and acid washed jeans.
Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Northeast Detectives at 215-686-3153. ••
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While Santa Claus traversed the globe passing out gifts to the world’s good little girls and boys, one unknown gunman decided to take matters into his own hands on Christmas Eve.
The suspect grabbed several hundred dollars cash from Broom’s Pharmacy, at 6552 Torresdale Ave., after threatening two employees at gunpoint.
The crime occurred just after 3 p.m. on Dec. 24, according to Lt. Mark Burgmann of Northeast Detectives. The suspect entered the store, waved a gun at a manager and assistant pharmacist and demanded drugs and money.
Two patrons were also in the store at the time. After getting about $300, the crook fled on foot. There were no injuries reported.
A surveillance camera filmed the bandit as he entered the place seemingly talking on a wireless telephone.
The suspect is a black male in his late 20s or early 30s. He wore a dark jacket with light stripes, tan boots, a knit hat and a blue surgical mask around his neck. He appeared to have a moustache and goatee beard. He carried a black satchel bag.
Call Northeast Detectives at 215-686-3153 to report information about the crime. ••
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The FBI is requesting the assistance of the public to identify and locate the men responsible for robbing three Northeast banks in recent weeks.
The first incident took place Dec. 26 at about noon at the Sun East Federal Credit Union, at 9212 Frankford Ave., in Torresdale.
The individual entered the bank and pointed a black automatic handgun at the tellers and demanded money. The tellers gave the robber an undisclosed amount of money, along with two dye packs. The robber jumped into the trunk of a small white car, and the driver fled east on Linden Avenue.
The FBI believes the suspect might be responsible for the Jan. 3 robbery of Earth Star Bank, at 8910 Frankford Ave. in Holmesburg.
The crime took place at 4:25 p.m. when the man entered the bank and inquired about opening an account. He pulled out a handgun and approached the teller counter. He instructed the teller to place cash into a black bag.
He left with an undisclosed amount of money and walked eastbound across the avenue through a fast food restaurant parking lot.
The suspect is black, 25 to 35 years old, about 5 feet 6 to 5 feet 8 inches tall, 170 to 190 pounds, with a thin-to-medium build and a dark brown complexion.
The Delaware Valley Financial Security Officers Group is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the robberies.
In the first robbery, he was wearing a dark wool ski cap, a cream-colored scarf covering the lower portion of his face, a camel-colored leather jacket, black pants and black gloves. He was carrying a small blue or gray school bag with yellow coloring on it.
In the second robbery, he wore a dark tan waist-length leather jacket, dark jeans, a black baseball cap and brown Timberland boots.
The other heist happened Jan. 3 at about 10:45 a.m. at the PNC Bank, at 12300 Academy Road, in Parkwood.
The man entered the bank and approached a teller counter. He put a burgundy velvet bag and a demand note on the counter. After receiving an undisclosed amount of money from the teller, he fled across Byberry Road and south on Academy Road.
Anyone with information on either case is asked to call the FBI at 215-418-4000. ••