Philadelphia Police: Gunman demands ID of robbery victims

LOGAN (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police are looking for the man who's been robbing people at gunpoint on the street.

Investigators say the thief is taking robberies to a new level by demanding his victims turn over a personal identification card like a driver's license.

"Once he obtains the personal identification card, he informs the victims he now knows where they live and if they make police reports, he'll come back and do harm to them," Philadelphia Police Lt. Dan Brooks said.

In fact, a few of the victim reported the gunman threatened to shoot their entire family if they call the authorities.

So far, five such holdups have been reported over the past week; three occurred over the span of one hour last Friday, between 6 a .m. and 7 a.m., around the 5200 block of North Broad Street.

Each time, the suspect is described as approximately 25 years old, 5'3, with a goatee and thin build, carrying a black and silver gun.

People who live and work in this part of the city are understandably concerned.

"I hope they catch him soon because that's not good," Roxanne Lee of North Philadelphia said.

The most recent robbery occurred last night on Chew Avenue.

No injuries have been reported in any of these cases.

Anyone with information should call police.