Cops: 3 Taxicabs Chauffeured Center City Robbery Suspect
By Simone Weichselbaum and Christin, Philadelphia Daily News
Jun. 7–Forget about the freshly rehabbed Rittenhouse condos or the fabulous selection of Manolo Blahnik at Boyd’s.
Center City has a new sign of status: The pampered criminal.
Unlike other Philadelphia thugs who flee from their victims in a worn pair of sneakers, one suspected downtown robber requires a cab to shuttle him to and from crimes.
Police said the spoiled taxi bandit has had cab drivers drop him off at four stick-up scenes, then wait for his getaway.
In the first incident, the robber made off with $200 from the Sunoco APlus convenience store on Walnut Street near 22nd shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday, according to Sgt. Francis Lowry of Central Detectives.
Police said last night that surveillance video showed that a Crescent Cab Co. taxi was the getaway vehicle.
The bandit returned to the store in a Victory Cab Co. taxi shortly after 3:30 a.m. yesterday, threatened to shoot the clerk and demanded cash. But the employee was behind the shop’s thick glass shield, preventing the man from collecting any booty, cops said.
The robber then hopped into the passenger seat of the taxi and it drove off. About 10 minutes later, the cab pulled up to a Wawa on Chestnut Street near 20th. The bandit walked into the store and demanded cash.
“The clerk handed over $115 and two packs of cigarettes,” Lowry said. The thug jumped back into the cab and it drove off into the night.
Lt. Richard Brown of Central Detectives said the man struck again last night.
About 10:20 p.m., according to Brown, the man entered a Wawa at 17th and Arch streets brandishing a gun, and announced: “If you love life, give it up.”
He made off with $155, this time using an Olde City Cab taxi as his getaway vehicle, Brown said.
Cops are working with the three cab companies and the Parking Authority to try to identify the drivers. They also will review surveillance video to confirm that the suspect is, as they believe, the same man in all of the heists.
Victory manager David Arbel said authorities do not think the Victory driver had been held hostage.
Arbel said it’s not uncommon for passengers to commit a crime after getting out of a cab while the unsuspecting driver waits with the meter running.
By Simone Weichselbaum and Christine Olley
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