Philadelphia police are searching for an intravenous drug user with a young child, or perhaps a digestion problem, who tried to shoplift baby formula from a Mayfair supermarket on June 1, but failed miserably.
The attempted theft became a robbery when a store employee confronted the suspect, who then threatened the worker with a syringe, police said.
The crime occurred at about 6:15 p.m. at Shop Rite, 6725 Frankford Ave., when the suspect tried to leave the store with four cans of formula that he had not paid for. The employee, a 43-year-old man, tried to stop him. That’s when the crook brandished the medical instrument and declared, “I have a dirty needle.” He dropped the baby food and ran for the exit, then westbound through the parking lot.
He was described as 20 years old, 6 feet tall, about 175 pounds with a thin build, a white tank top, black jeans, black sneakers and a black book bag. To view surveillance video, visit the Philadelphia Police channel on YouTube.com. Call 215–686-TIPS or text to PPD TIP to report information. ••
