Police seek suspects in
robbery at realty office

Philadelphia police are asking for the public’s help in identifying two men who held up a Northeast realty office and robbed four people on July 8.
Two men walked into Salkin Realty, at 6903 Bustleton Ave., shortly after 5 p.m. that Tuesday, pointed a black handgun at the owner and three employees and bound them with electrical tape. The bandits robbed the victims of personal items, including cash and jewelry, then grabbed several hundred dollars from the safe and fled.
No serious injuries were reported. Among the victims was Joe Salkin, the 88-year-old owner of the decades-old local business.
Employees told police that one of the two suspects visited the office one day earlier and identified himself as a prospective home buyer. An agent advised the man to obtain a pre-approved mortgage then return to discuss properties.
During the visit, the man asked to use the private rest room and may have seen cash being placed in the office safe. He left the office that day without incident. He drove a black car.
According to police, between the suspect’s initial visit and the robbery, employees made a large bank deposit, so there wasn’t a relatively high amount of cash on hand.
The man who visited the office twice was described as black, 38 to 45 years old, 6 feet 2 inches tall and a thin build. He wore a dark shirt and sunglasses.
The second suspect, who carried the black handgun, was black, 25 to 30 years old, 6 feet to 6 feet 2 inches tall and medium build. He wore dark clothes and sunglasses.
Call police at 215-686-3153 to report information about the crime. ••