Police Hope Surveillance Video Helps Catch 2 Suspects In East Mount Airy Sprint Store Robbery
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Police are searching for two suspects who robbed a Spring Store in East Mount Airy. The incident happened around 8:40 a.m. Monday as an employee was opening the store.
It was certainly a harrowing ordeal for the Sprint Store manager. What started out as an ordinary day opening the store turned into a nightmarish encounter with not one but two armed robbery suspects.
"As the manager opening the store, he was getting things prepared for the store to open to customers, someone very suddenly entered the store, produced a firearm, pointed at him," Philadelphia Police Capt. Sekou Kinebrew. "He really just rushes the guy and demands he open the safe."
Surveillance video showed the robbery in progress at 7223 Crittenden St. when the manager was forced at gunpoint onto his knees with his hands up. He was then forced to open the safe in a backroom.
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"The offender does take some amount of U.S. currency and I believe he took the keys as well," Kinebrew said. "Then he ordered the manager to the back door which requires some sort of authorization to exit."
The manager, complying with the suspect's orders, opened the back door only to be startled by the presence of yet another masked man who was acting as a lookout.
"When he opens the door there's another offender who's waiting by the door. Those two males escape, as far as we know, both on foot together," Kinebrew said.
Police are using the surveillance video, hoping to catch the two suspects.
The first suspect is described as a black male with a light complexion, medium build, between 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-10, wearing a dark-colored mask covering the lower portion of their face, dark-colored jacket with a white Nike logo, dark-colored pants with white vertical stripes on both legs, black and white New Balance sneakers, and armed with a black semi-automatic handgun.
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The second suspect is described as a black male, medium dark complexion, late teens to early 20s, medium build, wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt.
Perhaps the biggest clue came during the brief interaction seen on video between the two suspects.
"One of the males referred to the other male as either D or Deek," Kinebrew said. "If you recognize them by the clothing, if you recognize them by the mannerisms, if you hear some chatter, or if you know who D or Deek is who does robberies up there, we put the video out because we're hoping to obtain the public's assistance in identifying these two individuals."
The suspect managed to get away with only about $42 from the cash drawer in the safe.
Police are hoping the nickname D or Deek will bring about tips so they can make a speedy arrest.
The store manager wasn't injured in the incident.
