With help, suspects in
store robberies are caught

A good Samaritan helped local patrol officers on July 9 nab four males allegedly responsible for 14 convenience store robberies since March, primarily in the Northeast.
The civilian spotted the suspects as they fled the robbery of a 7-Eleven store at 5231 Harbison Ave. in Frankford shortly after 3 a.m.
The alleged crooks were in a gold 1998 Ford Windstar. The civilian, who was also in a vehicle, flagged down a patrol sergeant from the 15th district and directed him toward the minivan.
The patrol supervisor radioed for backup and followed the van without initiating a pursuit.
On the 3700 block of Torresdale Ave., officers stopped the suspect vehicle and detained the four occupants. Employees from the 7-Eleven identified them as the robbers.
The suspects included Walter Johnson, 18, of the 2500 block of N. 29th St.; Darryl Brothers, 20, of the 300 block of N. Earlham St.; Deion Sumpter, 19, of the 1100 block of E. Stafford St.; and a 17-year-old male from Southwest Philadelphia whose identity was withheld because he is a minor.
Inside the van, police allegedly found a black semi-automatic handgun with an obscured serial number and three black BB guns.
Detectives linked the same males to 13 additional robberies between March 8 and July 1.
Locations included Sunoco A-Plus, at 6865 Rising Sun Ave. (March 8 and 18); Sunoco A-Plus, at 5700 Roosevelt Blvd. (April 14 and June 1, 18 and 21); Sunoco A-Plus, at 5901 Wissahickon Ave. (June 3 and 17); 7-Eleven, at 7901 Frankford Ave. (June 5 and 27); 7-Eleven, at 6927 Torresdale Ave. (June 6); 7-Eleven, at 3967 Kensington Ave. (June 8); and Pantry One, at 5240 Torresdale Ave. (July 1). ••