Police recorded thirteen robberies since August 23rd in the area from Lombard Street to Federal Street, 7th Street to 22nd Street. They are looking for three teenage males who they believe may be responsible for the vast majority of the crimes, but not all. Police have arrested others involved in the robberies - the youngest being 10-years-old.
Action News caught up with one victim, a South Philadelphia man who did not want to be identified.
"It was horrible, especially since it happened at 11:45 a.m. on a Sunday," he said.
He was targeted for robbery on the morning of September 18th as he entered the Broad and Federal subway station.
"As I passed by one of the teenagers put me in a choke hold as the second one put a gun to my head an cocked it. I was able to free myself from the chokehold, push him into the guy with the gun, and run away."
The trio has committed a series of stickup style robberies in the last month or so. Police are urging pedestrians and subway riders to be on their guard.
"It's scary, 'cause I got a four-year-old son I gotta look after," said South Philadelphia resident Asia Hickman.
There is a lot of fear and concern in this section of South Philadelphia. There has been a serious outbreak of armed street robberies here since late August. In most cases the perpetrator will grab the victim from behind and put a gun to their head. Sometimes it happens in broad daylight.
Police have released surveillance footage from September 18th at the Broad and Federal Streets SEPTA subway station. The three males caught on tape are being called persons of interest wanted for questions. Police stopped short of calling them crime suspects. They are described as black males, all about 5'6" tall, somewhere between 15 and 18-years-old.
William Thompson of South Philadelphia says, "I don't go out at night no more just because of that. It has me in fear. I don't let my kids out."
If you can identify any of the three individuals seen in the subway surveillance video, please call South Detectives at 215-686-3013
