On Friday, veteran art dealer Rick Snyderman prepared for the First Friday crawl through the art galleries of Old City; he hoped hundreds of potential customers would come through his Cherry Street building, one day after a couple came in with no interest in purchasing art.
The day prior, Snyderman foiled a pair of bandits who'd rifled the pocketbook of an employee. The couple fled south on 3rd towards Market. The 73-year-old Snyderman was n hot pursuit and soon to be joined by several other local merchants.
Snyderman says he had to twice duck mace or pepper spray blasts the male bandit fired at him.
"He aimed at my face and he sprayed it at me, but I ducked, so he missed my face by and large," Snyderman said.
The male suspect ran away, but Snyderman and his Old City posse of merchants cornered the woman, who jumped into a cab.
"I said to the cab driver, 'do not go forward, this woman has robbed something from staff person,' and of course, we all got in front of the cab so he couldn't go forward," Snyderman said.
She then jumped on a SEPTA bus at 3rd and Market. The group then got in front of the bus.
Within moments police arrived at 3rd and Market and busted the female suspect, identified as 39-year-old Rezna Sheass of 80th Street in Southwest Philadelphia.
Snyderman's wife of 45 years who missed all the excitement thinks her husband was foolhardy.
Rezna Sheass remains in jail facing four felony charges including aggravated assault and robbery.
Her alleged accomplice remains at large, but police are pressing her for a name and hoping to close this case out quickly.
