3 Chestnut Hill-Mt. Airy Area Businesses Robbed At Knife Point In 5 Days

Philadelphia Police are looking for a suspect thought to be behind three armed robberies that occurred over five days in the Chestnut Hill-Mt. Airy area.

According to police, businesses on Germantown, Stenton, and Ogontz avenues were robbed March 18, March 21, and March 22, all by the same suspect.

Police said the suspect is a black male between 20 and 25 years old. He has a dark complexion and a medium building standing 5 feet 9 inches tall. Police said he has a beard and mustache with some gray hair and a distinct elongated scar or birthmark between his eyes.

The first incident happened at about 1:10 p.m. on Saturday, March 18 at Gateway Cleaners on Germantown Avenue when the suspect approached a 58-year-old employee and asked about repairing a coat zipper.

After the employee told him the repair cost, he pulled a knife from inside his coat pocket demanding money from the cash register, police said.

The employee then fled the store with the the suspect following her east on Springfield Avenue without incident, police said.

Nothing was taken and no injuries were reported during this incident, according to police.

The second incident occurred at about 4:35 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21 at Metro PCS on Stenton Avenue, police said.

The suspect asked about making a purchase then pulled knife, saying he was robbing the store, police said.

A store employee fought the suspect off as he tried to reach over the counter and into the cash register, police said.

The suspect fled and was last seen east on Stenton Avenue, police said.

Nothing was taken and no injuries were reported during the incident, according to police.

The last incident happened at about 12:55 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22 at Metro PCS on Ogontz Avenue, police said.

Again the suspect asked about making a purchase then left the store, only to return a few minutes later to demand money from an employee as he brandished a knife, police said.

The suspect told the employee he would stab him in the neck if the employee made any loud noises, which led the employee to give the suspect $120, police said.

The suspect fled the area and was last seen heading north toward 72nd Avenue, police said.

No injuries were reported during this incident, according to police.

Police said the public should not approach the suspect and should call 911 immediately if he is spotted.

Tips can be submitted by calling (215) 686-TIPS (8477) or texting tips to PPD TIP (773847).

You can also submit tips online here.

If you have any information about this crime or this suspects, please
contact Northwest Detective Division (215) 686-3353 or (215) 686-3354.

All tips are confidential.

Watch a video of the crime below to see if you can ID the suspect: