Trio charged for serial robberies across Northeast Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Police have arrested three men in connection with a serial robbery spree targeting businesses across Philadelphia.

27-year-old Jian Chen, 29-year-old Patrick Rowe and 25-year-old Corey Lockhart were taken into custody last week.

Authorities say the trio are responsible for at least 14 commercial robberies since August.

Among their alleged targets were the Red Robin restaurant on Frankford Avenue and five different 7-Eleven stores.

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"They were terrorized. They were locking the doors on some of these stores at night. They were told to lock the doors. Anybody that's open late was on guard," said Lt. Dennis Rosebaum, Philadelphia Police.

Police say the suspects were stopped Friday morning when they were recognized by a 15th district officer on patrol.

Officer Patrick Mangold had earlier responded to one of the robberies in September.

Around 2:30 Friday morning, he stopped a car that matched the description of a possible getaway car.

The passenger inside was Rowe. He had just recently gotten out of jail before the robbery spree started.

Police arrested him, Chen and Lockhart, who were also in the car.

Officer Mangold recognized Rowe from the surveillance video at Frank's Pizza.

The owner's father was one of three workers robbed at gunpoint.

He picked out Rowe's mug shot right away.

"The guy just walked in for like 30 seconds, he took the money and he left. Then when I was watching the cameras and the video then it was kind of scary," said Frank Jumayey.

Police say the suspects had a gun and a mask in their car when they were stopped.

Authorities also recovered more guns and body armor when they searched the homes of the suspects.

Rowe, who has eight prior arrests for armed robbery and drug crimes, is being held on $5.5 million bail.

At Frank's Pizza they're just glad the suspects are finally locked up.

"I feel good. I feel good. I hope those guys are going to be these for a long time," said Jumayey.

In all, police say they made off with over $9,000 as a result of the robberies.

No one was hurt during any of the crimes.