Philadelphia Police Searching For Robbery, Rape Suspects
By Elizabeth Hur
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Men, accused of multiple robberies and a rape, are caught on tape and Eyewitness News spoke to one of their victims as police try to track them down.
The victim says she was with a friend who was knocked unconscious before she was attacked. Both suffered serious head injuries from being hit in the head repeatedly with a black revolver.
"All through here are just staples. I have staples from being hit in the head with the butt of the gun."
The victim asked that we don't use her name but agreed to share with us how she was robbed and sexually assaulted.
"I was sitting there pleading. I told him that I had children and everything he said he didn't care."
According to police, on August 3, 2012 at 1:45am, the first victim was on the 2900 block of South 70th Street when he was
approached by three unknown black males demanding money. One of the males, who was armed with a black revolver struck the victim multiple times causing lacerations to his head. The suspects took the victim's keys, cell phone, and identification and fled in an unknown direction.
About fifteen minutes later, the second victim was on the 6900 block Buist Avenue when he was approached by four unknown black males. One of the males was armed with a handgun demanding money. When the victim stated he had none and fled, the suspects then chased him down and struck him several times with the handgun causing laceration to his face. The suspects then fled the area in a black colored Chevy Impala with dark tinted windows west on Buist Avenue.
Then on August 4, 2012 at 3:35 a.m., the victim we spoke to reported to police that she and her male friend were returning home from the 7-11 store located at 70th Street and Grovers Avenue. While they were walking in the ball field next to Finnegan Playground located at 6900 Grovers Avenue, an unknown black male approached them, pulled a handgun and struck the victims in the head with his handgun and took one of the victim's wallet before proceeding to sexually assault the female victim.
The victim explained to Eyewitness News, "I said, just take the money and go because my friend had already given it up but he's standing there, 'Ok you're coming with me. You're going to do this and you're going to do that'. He then told me, 'You see over there? If you (expletive) try to run, they're going to get you. You don't want my friends to get you'."
Lt. John Walker said, "What happened today. We received some information that the vehicle that was seen in the video was in the 6800 block of Guyer Avenue. Two males entered the vehicle. At 65th and Buist, we attempted to stop the vehicle and the passenger jumped from the vehicle."
Police say detectives chased after the suspect and two men and a woman were eventually taken into custody for questioning. The car seen in the video was also recovered as evidence.
Walker added, "In all three incidents the victims were assaulted and in one case the victim was sexually assaulted and we're looking to tie all three jobs, working with the Special Victims to see if the males we grabbed today are responsible."
Police said they believe they had two males seen in the surveillance video in custody and they were looking for at least two other males.
As of late Wednesday night, no one had been charged as police say their investigation is continuing. They're looking to see if the same males are responsible for additional similar crimes in Philadelphia and neighboring counties.
