2 sought amid West Philly robbery investigations

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Authorities are working to see if a string of armed robberies in West Philadelphia are possibly connected.

Police say they all involve two young men with a gun who threatened to shoot you if you don't unlock your phones.

As we watch the video, this is not your typical stroll down the street. Philadelphia police tell Action News these two teenagers were up to no good. Officers say they were just seconds away from committing a crime.

Philadelphia Police Captain Sekou Kinebrew said, "They approached two young women. The women seem to be in their late teens, maybe early 20s but young. They both appear to have firearms. They approach them, making threatening and harassing type gestures."

The incident happened December 19 around 1 p.m. in the 6200 block of Lebanon Avenue in the citys Overbrook Section.

Police say the two male teens followed two young women. It didn't stop there, frighteningly. Officers say the suspects pointed guns at the victims, and one of them was captured on video grabbing one of the girls.

"We are just happy that it didn't get worse and that no one got shot, but again I can only imagine the emotional trauma when someone grabs you and they have a gun and they put their hands on you," said Captain Kinebrew.

Cameras caught one of the suspects boarding a SEPTA trolley after the incident.

Detectives also tell Action News there have been at least five robberies in the area where this recent assault took place.

They are working to see if the suspects are connected to these or other crimes in the area.

"There are certainly more crimes that are not necessarily identical but involving young males their age, in late teens that do involve firearms. So I would be a little bit ahead of myself to say they are related but there are other incidents in the area. There have also been arrests in that area for robberies involving younger guys," said Captain Kinebrew.

Police are confident that the images are clear enough that someone will recognize the suspects.

If you have any information, please call the police.

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