Rape & Robbery In Bella Vista Leaves Residents On Edge
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A rape and robbery investigation is underway in a normally quiet Philadelphia neighborhood.
"Everybody's angry, upset and distressed."
The owner of Bean Exchange talked to Eyewitness News, but asked that we don't identify him. He says in his four years in the city's Bella Vista Neighborhood, he or his employees never endured anything so terrible until now.
"It's unacceptable what has happened."
He was too upset to talk on-camera after learning one of his employees had to be rushed to the hospital. Police say the 29-year-old woman was raped during what began as a robbery. We caught the owner just as he was locking up the store to visit his employee at the hospital.
"That's where my heart is and where I want to focus first."
The president of Bella Vista Town Watch, Greg Pastore, calls what happened inside the coffee shop a rarity in the neighborhood, and he felt it was his duty to get some answers.
"Get more particulars so we can put something out to the neighborhood. It's something you always have to be aware of and worry about," Pastore said.
Watch the video...
Police say what they know so far is that it happened shortly after 6 a.m. when the shop opened for business. The female worker was alone at the time, and even though she complied and gave up the money, the suspect still sexually assaulted her before running away.
The shop owner added, "I'm confident that the Philadelphia police will get the person responsible for this. They're confident of it."
The suspect, Christopher Reeves (pictured above), is described as a thin black male, about 6'6," and in his early 30s. If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact the Philadelphia Police Department or visit PhillyPolice.com
Reported by Elizabeth Hur, CBS 3
