Man abducted while walking home from work in Summerdale: police
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia police and the FBI are investigating the abduction of a man from the city's Summerdale neighborhood. Police say early Friday morning, an SUV pulled up next to the 48-year-old man and forced him inside.
He hasn't been heard from since.
Police say the victim, Wey Um, is the owner of a nearby tavern and a witness saw the abduction and immediately called 911. Police are trying to track Um's cell phone and they just announced they are also looking for a person of interest.
Residents say the section of Summerdale doesn't have a lot of crime.
"They play soccer here a lot," Jose Rodriguez said. "On Sundays, it's packed."
According to investigators, Um had just left work and was returning to his home in the 900 block of East Godfrey Avenue when a black SUV pulled up next to him.
"It's very concerning," Dep. commissioner Frank Vanore said. "This incident was witnessed, somebody called us right away so we got involved. There is no trace of him, there are no phone calls."
Police say the abduction happened just after 2 a.m.
The men were armed with guns and investigators believe a third person was also likely inside the SUV which they believed to be a newer model Ford Explorer.
"I've never heard anything like that before," Angelique Rosa said.
Rosa lives on the same block where Um was abducted. She fears for children like her godson who play on the street.
"It's scary," Rosa said. "Thinking about that, like it could happen especially a park being so close by."
"We're very concerned for his well-being and we want anyone if they know anything about it to give us a call," Vanore said.
Detectives spent Friday canvassing the block and many neighbors are now on edge.
"My kids play on that park right there on the corner so that right there I told them 'I don't want you outside and don't want you going to the park,'" Diana Barrera said.
Philly police believe the suspects were likely looking for the victim. Investigators are calling one man a person of interest.
According to police, the man in the photo robbed the victim on the 5900 block of Oxford Avenue on March 6. The incident went unreported, police say.
"We haven't found any other video that could help us," Vanore said. "If somebody does have that we urge them to give us a call, but we're looking for some evidence of where he may have gone."
As police canvas for clues in this neighborhood, Rodriguez considers whether he should even walk his dog around here late at night.
"That's just crazy to walk by and know that something happened like that over there, I don't know," Rodriguez said. "Now, I have to be more alert about where I'm walking around now."
The residents are now on alert after a crime in a place where they say nothing like this has ever happened.
We are told police haven't heard of any similar cases in the city and all day long they have been speaking with the victim's family.
The suspects are considered armed and dangerous and if you see them call 911.
