Caught On Camera: Cousins Carjacked After Violent Struggle At North Philadelphia Gas Station
By Jan Carabeo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia Police released dramatic new surveillance video of a robbery and carjacking that happened at a gas station on North Broad Street last month. They're hoping someone in the public will know something about the suspect and turn him in to police.
The victims are cousins and they were headed out of town around 2:45 a.m. on April 20. They stopped at an Exxon on 3101 North Broad Street for just six dollars worth of gas.
The video captures what becomes a struggle between two cousins and a man intent on robbing them and stealing their car.
The suspect walks around the pump to approach the driver as her cousin fuels up.
Police say he first demands money.
Captain Mark Burgmann says, "She told him she didn't have any and then he tried to pull her out of her car."
As the driver puts up a fight, her cousin runs away, but comes back only seconds later.
The three struggle and it goes on for nearly a minute.
One of the women eventually goes around to the other side and the struggle continues.
Finally, with both car doors open and a cousin clinging to each side, the suspect takes off, with the car still attached to the pump.
Michael Stankiewicz says, "If they're going to rob you, let me rob you, that way you don't get hurt."
Denise Cortez comments, "I wouldn't have held on, I wouldn't have done that. I would have said just take the car, my life is too important to me."
That advice is echoed by police.
As the car heads south on Broad Street, one woman falls, suffering scrapes and bruises.
"It's not worth it. It's not worth your life. It could have turned out a whole lot worse."
Police say cameras have certainly helped in this investigation.
Five days later they located that car in Germantown.
They recovered prints, which are now being processed.
But if you know who the suspect is, give police a call.
