2 of 3 Suspects Nabbed In West Philadelphia Streetcorner Robbery Spree
By Al Novack
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Police quickly put an end to a robbery spree last night in West Philadelphia when a group of Drexel University students who had been relieved of their iPhones were able to get a partial license plate number from their robbers' getaway car.
According to police, two men and a woman robbed a total of 11 people within a two-hour span on Thursday evening.
A total of nine smartphones were taken, all of which have been recovered, and a couple of wallets, which were not immediately recovered.
The first incident occurred about 8:30pm at 45th and Sansom Streets, where two out-of-state visitors in Philadelphia for the Dad Vail Regatta had their phones taken.
Then, police say, the three bandits continued cruising around University City in their car, and at 8:45pm robbed some people at 43rd and Regent Streets of two iPhones.
At 9pm, a man heading to a grocery store was robbed of some cash near 42nd and Ludlow streets, and at 10:20pm five Drexel students were robbed of their smartphones at 32nd and Powelton Avenue.
The trio fled in a black Honda, but the Drexel students got a partial tag number. Police made a car stop within minutes and two people -- a man and a woman, both 25 -- were taken into custody. They now face robbery charges.
Another man remained at large.
No one was injured in any of the robberies.
