Police: Somerton robbery suspects referenced victim's Instagram posts

SOMERTON (WPVI) -- Police say a social media post about inheritance may have led three armed suspects to break into a home in the Somerton section of Philadelphia.

Investigators say one of the victims recently posted to his Facebook and Instagram accounts that he had just inherited expensive jewelry.

Authorities say the three masked men kicked in the front door of an apartment on the unit block of Brookshire Terrace around 2:30 a.m. Sunday.

"You just heard a big crash, it was either a gunshot or them breaking the glass. You heard glass shattering then you heard them out front yell, 'Run! Get out of the house!" said Reign Alimenti.

Five men were inside, one of them called 911 from a bathroom.

The victims' neighbor Anthony Montico tells Action News he heard the sound of glass breaking. He went into his safe and got his handgun.

"I saw two gentlemen running from an upstairs floor. They apparently jumped out of the second floor window after they held up a bunch of kids or something in the house. After that happened, I tried to chase them down. They ran so fast," Montico said.

Police believe the suspects targeted the 19-year-old victim after seeing his Instagram postings of Rolex watches and other valuables.

Investigators believe the wrong people knew about a recent inheritance that the victim received.

Police say the suspects made off with a Rolex and some other jewelry.

Authorities believe the suspects jumped out of that second story window before fleeing the scene.

The suspects fled so quickly police say they left behind two guns and dropped cell phones.

On nearby Beverly Street, Southampton Police surrounded a vehicle with Colorado plates that someone placed at the Somerton scene.

At this time, police do not know for sure if that vehicle was involved in the home invasion.

"Thank God I wasn't here. God works in mysterious ways, nobody got hurt," said Ray Farrell.

Farrell lives in the townhome with the victim but wasn't home during the crime. He thinks his roommate was targeted.

"Definitely someone affiliated with him - had to be one of his friends or a friend of a friend. I think it was a set up," said Farrell.

The suspects are described as:

- A black male, 5'10, muscular build, wearing a black ski mask.

- A black or Latino male, 5'8, medium build, wearing a black ski mask.

- A white male, 6'1, 170 to 180 pounds, in a black ski mask, and a light blue hooded sweatshirt,

Anyone with information is asked to call police.