Serial Armed Robber Hits North Philly Wireless Store: Police

PHILADELPHIA – Police are asking for the public's help identifying a man who robbed a Metro PCS store at gunpoint in North Philadelphia Thursday afternoon. The man is also suspected of robbing numerous other stores in the area, including in Cheltenham Township.

According to police, the man above came into the store at 1555 Wadsworth Ave. at about 1:26 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 20.

The man came into the store and pointed a silver semi-automatic handgun at an employee, demanding money from the cash register, police said.

He got $100 then fled the area, heading toward the 8300 block of Pickering Avenue, police said.

The suspect is described as a black man in his mid 20s. He is 6 feet tall, has a slim build, light scruffy beard, black hair, and a medium complexion.

He was wearing a red Phillies cap with white letter "P" and red brim with gold stickers, black zip-up hooded sweatshirt with a distinctive white logo on upper left chest area – possibly "TR" – gold/black/white Nike brand sneakers, and checkered men’s boxer shorts underneath dark colored jeans.

This suspect and another man are wanted in connection with 10 armed commercial robberies in the past several weeks.

Those robberies are listed below:

• Aug. 17 - Family Dollar; 1812 West Cheltenham Avenue, Philadelphia
• Aug. 17 - Family Dollar; 6555 Greene Street, Philadelphia
• Aug. 22 - Little Caesar's Pizza; 7153 Ogontz Avenue, Philadelphia
• Aug. 22 - Rite Aid; 7401 Ogontz Avenue, Philadelphia
• Aug. 22 - Pizza Hut; 1401 66th Avenue, Philadelphia
• Aug. 24 - Rite Aid; 6744 North 5th Street, Philadelphia
• Sept. 7 - Rite Aid; 1401 West Cheltenham Avenue, Elkins Park
• Sept. 13 - Metro PCS; 7147 Ogontz Avenue, Philadelphia
• Sept. 14 - Rite Aid; 1401 West Cheltenham Avenue, Elkins Park

If you see this suspect do not approach, contact 911 immediately.

To submit a tip via telephone, dial (215) 686-8477 or text a tip to 773847.

Use this electronic form to submit a tip anonymously.

All tips will be confidential.

Anyone with information about these crime or the suspects, contact Det. Bowden with the Northwest Detective Division at (215) 686-3353 or (215) 686-3354, or the FBI/PPD Violent Crimes Task Force at (215) 418-4000.

Image via Philadelphia Police