The male suspect, 57-year-old Vickson Korlewala, said he was innocent Wednesday as he was walked out of Southwest Detectives. However police say he was caught on surveillance video moments after he stole $8,000 from an elderly woman.
"I am not the one sir. That's not true. I am not the one sir. I did not do anything sir," said Korlewala.
However police say he and his 51-year-old wife Lorpu Korlewala were the ones who forced the 80-year-old victim into their SUV at 55th and Market Streets around noon Monday.
"It's only Jesus who can tell it. I didn't know where I was. It's not something that usually happens to me, it was real tough," said the victim.
The victim, who we are not identifying, told Action News how the male suspect took her into an Island Avenue branch of Citizens Bank and withdrew $8,000 from her account.
She says he told an employee she had to pay for a funeral.
"If they can really find it in their heart to put this together and get what I have? They can go work, just as I do, because I work," said the victim.
Only Action News was there on the 5500 block of Market Street as investigators searched the suspects' home and business, emerging with a bag of evidence.
Police say the husband and wife own Lela's Braiding Gallery which is on the same block where police say the grandmother's nightmare began.
"Anytime we have an elderly victim that someone has taken advantage of by people like this, we charged pretty hard to try to get these people off the street," said Lt. John Walker, Philadelphia Police.
Investigators say they're now working with Central Detectives because the suspects also fit the description of a February case at 20th and Market.
In that case a 92-year-old woman was kidnapped and taken to her bank. The culprits got away with $1,200.
Meanwhile both Korlewala and his wife face a number of charges including robbery, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, theft, conspiracy, simple assault.
