Philadelphia police are on the hunt for two men accused of a calculated robbery at a local store. The crime, caught on video surveillance, took place on February 24, at 9:30 a.m. at a business located at 1619 E. Wadsworth Avenue, according to a statement from the Philadelphia Police Department.
Reports outline a duo's ruse to distract and rob – first, a black male feigned injury inside the store, luring the working employee away from the register, and in her attempts to assist the man who seemed in distress, the second perpetrator, a white male, seized the opportunity to empty the till. But the plot thickened as the fleeing thief met resistance, an employee who tried to hinder his escape; that’s when the suspect deployed pepper spray in a desperate bid to get away, as described by the authorities.
Authorities have released descriptions of the suspects in an appeal for the public's assistance. The first suspect is a Black male, said to be between 30 and 40 years of age, last seen wearing a gray and black jacket and a green Eagles cap with a black brim. The second individual is a white male of a similar age bracket, decked in a black "True Religion" hooded sweatshirt, paired with a black baseball hat and blue jeans.
As detectives urge anyone with information to come forward, the video footage shows the pair engaging in conversation prior to the heist, presumably plotting, corroborating the premise that the fall was a premeditated act to distract the store owner. Both suspects managed to evade capture and were long gone before police units could respond to the scene.
Members of the community with information on the incident are encouraged to reach out to the Philadelphia Police Department. The ongoing investigation by the PPD Northwest Detective Division emphasizes the critical nature of public assistance in apprehending the individuals responsible for this act of theft and deception.
