topic Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly in Community Chat

New Crime Pattern in Philly

PickyPicky3 — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 19:45:28 GMT

Police are searching for three armed teenagers driving a white U-Haul van. The trio pick out a pedestrian and pull him/her into the van. They get the victim's bank card and then go to a pre-selected ATM and force the victim to withdraw cash.

There have been three abduction/robberies in two days, each a little different.

The police are asking people to report any white U-Haul van they see and not to worry about too many responses.

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

Tinkrbl44 — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 20:05:56 GMT

@PickyPicky3

When this gets sorted out, I hope they tell us just HOW they selected their random victims.

Nicely dressed? Not very fit, so wouldn't put up much of a fight?

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

Mz iMac — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 20:24:23 GMT

@PickyPicky3 Has been all over the local tv & radio news since it first happened.

When you post these type of stories, it would be **helpful** if you would post the **article** and/or source.

=========================================

For those who live outside of the Tri-State areas.........

The Special Victims Unit and Northeast Detectives are investigating a frightening abduction and robbery pattern. Multiple victims were robbed at gunpoint and physically attacked.

Several people were forced into a U-Haul cargo van and taken to withdraw money from ATM machines.

Police say there are three incidents that are connected with the latest attack happening Thursday morning.

"These individuals are driving around looking for victims to rob," Philadelphia Police Inspector Matthew Gillespie said.

Police are looking for a group of teenagers wanted for three armed robberies in Northeast Philadelphia, two in which they kidnapped their victims the other where police say they carjacked a man.

"In each instance, three to four individuals came out of a white U-Haul box van and robbed the complainants," Gillespie said.

Two incidents happened early Tuesday morning. The first was around 4 a.m. along the 1200 block of Academy Road.

"The female was walking down the street, they forced her into van, took some money from her and really most concerning was they discharged a firearm twice at her," Gillespie said.

The woman was punched in the face as they exited the van.

About 40 minutes later, police say the group moved up to the 6300 Block of Roosevelt Boulevard where they used their van to block in a man's car as he was parked at a TD Bank drive-thru ATM, pointing guns at the driver and demanding money before stealing his car.

"Brazen is the word that came to mind to me," Gillespie said.

The latest attack happened early Thursday morning along the 9200 block of Delaware Avenue where police say a victim was walking when the group pulled up and forced him into the same van.

"The person was abducted and taken to two different locations where money was tried to be withdrawn from their bank account," Gillespie said.

The thieves got away with $600 and the victim's phone. Police are calling this a crime of opportunity and warning the public to be on alert.

"We certainly don't want it to escalate and we want to get them off the street as soon as possible," Gillespie said.

Police believe all three robberies may be connected.

Anyone who says anything related to these incidents or has video from the area is asked to call Philadelphia police.

SOURCE: CBS News DOT com

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

drizzellla — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 20:38:04 GMT

I know when I lived and worked in Philadelphia, I was an easy target. I was 5'1" and 97 pounds.

I was "picked" by 5 teens walking on Market Street going to the train station, "picked" by 2 men walking to my car in a parking garage, "picked" by one man as I was sitting in a seat watching a play, "picked" by 2 teens as I was walking home from the train station, "picked" by 3 teens as I was sitting at a red light in my car.

If you live in Philadelphia, this does not surprise me.

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

NicksmomESQ — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 20:42:26 GMT

OMG!! How awful. What's happening to the world these days? Everything is upside down & inside out. I hope they get caught sooner rather than later & are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!!

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

chrystaltree — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 20:50:35 GMT

Report ANY white U-Haul van??????? There are probably 1000 in Philadelphia, maybe more. That's crazy. I assume they are targeting old, frail people. People who can't or won't resist.

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

Oznell — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 20:51:53 GMT

Oh, @drizzellla , so sorry you had those multiple, extremely frightening experiences. Hoping that escalating crime will be increasingly dealt with by prosecutors who once again take seriously and prosecute crime.

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

Mz iMac — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 20:58:32 GMT

@chrystaltree wrote:
I assume they are targeting old, frail people. People who can't or won't resist.

@chrystaltree Old frail people are not walking around Philly by themselves around 4.a.m.

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

PickyPicky3 — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 21:13:38 GMT

@chrystaltree Re: Reporting all white U-Haul vans

I think Philly officials are concerned about copycat crimes developing and they want to shut this down fast.

These are teenagers, they're successful and it's summertime.

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

shoesnbags — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 21:14:59 GMT

@Mz iMac wrote:
@chrystaltree wrote:
I assume they are targeting old, frail people. People who can't or won't resist.

@chrystaltree Old frail people are not walking around Philly by themselves around 4.a.m.

@Mz iMac

Did the news reports happen to give ages for the victims?

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

Mz iMac — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 21:46:36 GMT

@shoesnbags No

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

FatCatinCT — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 22:04:05 GMT

Well I'd be dead. I don't have an atm card nor are my credit cards set up to be used through an atm.

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

haddon9 — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 22:23:50 GMT

@drizzellla wrote:
I know when I lived and worked in Philadelphia, I was an easy target. I was 5'1" and 97 pounds.

I was "picked" by 5 teens walking on Market Street going to the train station, "picked" by 2 men walking to my car in a parking garage, "picked" by one man as I was sitting in a seat watching a play, "picked" by 2 teens as I was walking home from the train station, "picked" by 3 teens as I was sitting at a red light in my car.

If you live in Philadelphia, this does not surprise me.

@drizzellla Just awful! ...How frightening for you!! You must be so relived to be out of there!!

Another easy target is a woman with a baby in a stroller. My goodness things like this worries me so much!

My daughter with her husband and infant live in S. Philly but near Center City. They want to move out and come here to the suburbs.. They need to save more for a down payment for a house while homes keep going up at ridiculous costs!

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

Kachina624 — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 23:21:09 GMT

The news everywhere is filled with description of crimes committed by teens with guns. The only solution if to control automatic weapons.

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

ThinkingOutLoud — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 23:29:14 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
The news everywhere is filled with description of crimes committed by teens with guns. The only solution if to control automatic weapons.

No - parents need to do their job!!

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

Citrine1 — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:35:24 GMT

@drizzellla Excuse my stupidity, but what does "picked" mean? You were attacked/targeted/injured on all of these occasions??

In my younger days I, too, worked in center city and was also short and thin like you. I always figured I had "victim" written all over my face because I was a nervous nelly and probably looked like an easy target. However, I never had an issues in town or where I live.

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 18:22:40 GMT

@ThinkingOutLoud wrote:
@Kachina624 wrote:
The news everywhere is filled with description of crimes committed by teens with guns. The only solution if to control automatic weapons.
No - parents need to do their job!!

@ThinkingOutLoud

It should be very obvious parents AREN'T doing their jobs. Does that mean the parents should be prosecuted because their teens committed crimes?

Seriously .... Who do you want held responsible in a court of law?

And ... serious question ... under what circumstances is it okay for teens to use or own automatic weapons?

Years ago comic Robin Williams nailed it when he said he understood "the right to bear arms" .... but NOT "the right to bear artillery".

Outside of the military, who actually NEEDS artillery?

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

Roscoe the Rascal — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 01:33:46 GMT

@ThinkingOutLoud wrote:
@Kachina624 wrote:
The news everywhere is filled with description of crimes committed by teens with guns. The only solution if to control automatic weapons.
No - parents need to do their job!!

Need stricter gun laws most definetly. Really parents do their job? Do you see some of those parents.

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

RoughDraft — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 01:38:22 GMT

@ThinkingOutLoud wrote:
@Kachina624 wrote:
The news everywhere is filled with description of crimes committed by teens with guns. The only solution if to control automatic weapons.
No - parents need to do their job!!

Apparently those parents are either incapable doing "their job" (whatever that means), or are not even on the scene or never have been...so there's that. Ozzie and Harriet are long gone.

As far as walking around any city or suburb at 4 a.m. is rather bizarre, unless one is working third shift somewhere.

Re: New Crime Pattern in Philly

PhilaLady1 — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 01:44:46 GMT

Philadelphia is a city of 1.6 million people. I consider myself very fortunate to never been a victim of crime.