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What police believe began as a jewelry heist went terribly wrong when one of the alleged robbers reportedly sliced the store owner’s neck and left his own son behind as he fled with more than a dozen engagement rings Saturday afternoon.
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John Benson, 47, of the Northeast, and Sheakia Stubbs, 31, of West Philly, have been charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, robbery, criminal conspiracy, endangering the welfare of a child and related offenses in the 3 p.m. incident at Platinum & Ice Jewelry, 621 South St.
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The two were looking at women’s rings with their 4-year-old in tow. Benson asked to see a piece of jewelry and began negotiating for a lower price with the 34-year-old owner and a male employee, but he reportedly became irate when he was not successful, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said. Both he and Stubbs screamed and cursed at the two and Stubbs demanded the employee buzz open the locked door so she could leave, Tolliver said. She then held the door open while Benson, who is believed to have dropped the ring he was holding behind the counter, allegedly swiped about 15 engagement rings with an estimated total value of $50,000 from an open display case when the employee stooped to pick up the dropped item.
The two and their child allegedly fled west on South with the shopkeeper and employee in pursuit. When they caught up to them, Benson allegedly instructed Stubbs to, “Go get the gun from the car. I’m going to shoot this motherf***er right here,” Tolliver said.
As Stubbs fled on foot, the chase continued with Benson and the child heading north on Seventh Street and west on Rodman Street, which is where Benson allegedly pulled out the knife and slashed the left side of the owner’s neck, Tolliver said. Benson then is believed to have left the child behind as he took off on foot, going south on Eighth Street, then west on South.
The owner walked to the Philadelphia Police Department South Street Mini Station, 905 South, with the boy and was transported to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where he received 10 stitches.
The child is in the custody of the Philadelphia Department of Human Services, Tolliver said.
Benson and Stubbs were arrested at about midnight Monday at Benson’s Northeast home. The jewelry has not yet been recovered.
Benson has previously served time for possession, robbery and aggravated assault, among others, while Stubbs served time for an aggravated assault in 2007, according to court records.
Arrest in Sound of Philadelphia fire
A Whitman man turned himself in to police Feb. 24 after a warrant was issued for his arrest in connection to a fire three days earlier at Philadelphia International Records, 309 S. Broad St.
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Christopher Cimini, 27, of the 2700 block of South Fairhill Street, allegedly kicked in the glass front door of the building at about 6 a.m. Feb. 21, Officer Christine O’Brien of the Police Public Affairs Unit said. Believed to be intoxicated, he is accused of setting the building on fire and was rescued by the fire department when seen calling for help from a third-floor window.
Cimini was transported to Jefferson Hospital for smoke inhalation and small lacerations and released, O’Brien said. He turned himself in to East Detective Division, where he was charged with arson, causing a catastrophe, burglary, criminal trespassing and related offenses.
Kenny Gamble, a producer along with Leon Huff of the label that was responsible for more than 100 gold and platinum records and more than 70 No. 1 hits, wants to know why Cimini set the building ablaze, severely damaging it and destroying about 40 percent of the memorabilia inside.
“I’m hoping they will interrogate this young man and find out,” Gamble said in a statement Tuesday.
Cimini’s preliminary hearing was rescheduled from Tuesday to 8 a.m. March 23, according to court documents.
Shot five times
A teen was charged with attempted murder in connection to the shooting of a 44-year-old that left him riddled with bullets.
The man was on the 1700 block of Tasker Street in Point Breeze when the 17-year-old from the 1800 block of Dickinson Street allegedly shot him three times in the left leg, once in the right leg and once in the buttocks at 6:26 p.m. Feb. 20, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said. The wounded man, who was found on that block, was transported to The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania by police in critical but stable condition.
At 9:55 a.m. Friday, the man told detectives of the teen, adding he has known him his whole life and believed he had been shot because the teen does not like him, Tolliver said.
The 17-year-old was arrested at 8:10 the next morning at his home and charged, in addition to attempted murder, with aggravated assault, terroristic threats, firearm violations and related offenses.
Teens targeted
A teen was murdered in Point Breeze Monday, while another was shot twice five blocks away.
Police discovered Allante Peterson, 19, of the 1800 block of South 23rd Street, on his block with multiple gunshots to the back at 8:51 p.m., Police Public Affairs Officer Jill Russell said. Peterson was transported to HUP and pronounced dead at 9:09 p.m.
The motive and suspects are not yet known, Russell said.
At 8:56 p.m., a 17-year-old arrived at Jefferson Hospital with two wounds — one to his lower back, the other to his left leg, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said. The teen told police, after passing about seven men in black clothing, he heard about five gunshots ring out on the 1900 block of Morris Street and he ran toward Dorrance Street. That’s when he felt burning in his back and leg.
He was transported by private auto to the hospital and no evidence was recovered at the scene. No motive or suspects have been identified, Tolliver said.
Police have not officially linked the cases, but South Detectives notified Homicide due to the close timeframe of the two, Tolliver said.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.
Drive-by
The target of a Grays Ferry drive-by Sunday was a 13-year-old, who escaped harm even though he had three shots fired at him.
The boy was on the 3000 block of Reed Street when a newer-model red Pontiac with two men inside slowed down and fired at him at 4:28 p.m., Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said. The boy fled on foot and the vehicle, followed by a black car, proceeded west on Reed.
Detectives recovered ballistic evidence at the scene, Tolliver said.
The shooter was described as black, in his mid-20s with a medium complexion and wearing a red hoody and black skull cap; there was no description of his accomplice.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.
Fired upon while walking
Police responded to a report of shots fired Sunday evening in West Passyunk, but did not immediately find the victim, who had apparently made it home before being taken by a family member to the ER.
Police met the 19-year-old wounded in the 6:39 p.m. shooting more than an hour later at Jefferson Hospital, where he was in stable condition.
The man told police he was walking with a male friend on the 2100 block of South Opal Street when three 18- to 19-year-old men approached them, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said. When the victim saw that one, which he described as 6 foot and wearing a black hoody, had a black automatic handgun, he immediately bolted south on Opal.
By the time the teen reached Jackson Street, he felt the pain caused by the one bullet to his left leg.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.
Masked robber
A masked man robbed a deli in the East Passyunk section Saturday night, taking $300 but leaving the store owner unharmed.
A man in a black ski mask entered J&D Deli, 1913 S. 10th St., and pointed a black handgun at the 55-year-old owner at 7:05 p.m. Ordering him to hand over the cash, the thief was given the dough from the register before fleeing north on 10th and jumping into a black sedan with tinted windows that headed south on 10th, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said. The car had a Pennsylvania tag, possibly ending in “610.”
The robber was described as 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-8 and wearing, in addition to the ski mask that only showed his eyes and mouth, a black hoody, pants and knit gloves.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.
Hundreds stolen
A clerk at a Passyunk Square grocery store retrieved cigarettes for a customer only to turn around to find a gun in his face and the man’s face suddenly covered with a blue bandana.
The thief entered La Fortuna, 1548 S. 13th St., with his face uncovered and approached the counter, asking for the smokes at 9:12 p.m. Sunday. The 33-year-old clerk turned to get the requested item, but when he turned back around, the man had a black semi-automatic handgun on him and his face hidden. The clerk handed over about $600 from the register before the offender fled on foot, going west on Tasker Street.
However, witnesses told police the man drove away, going south on Clarion Street, in an older-model black vehicle with tinted windows and damage to its front.
The man was described as white, age 35 to 40, 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-9, cleanshaven and with a thin build.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.
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