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The police department’s South Division has had an increase in cell phone strong-arm robberies over the last few weeks, with white women in their 20s carrying iPhones being the main targets.
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At 12:45 a.m. July 24, a 23-year-old woman was walking on the 2100 block of Tasker Street toward her home when an unknown man grabbed her from behind, snatching her cell phone, and fled west on Tasker and north on 22nd Street, police said.
The offender was described as black, age 21 to 25, 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-9, thin, muscular and wearing a red shirt.
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While talking on her cell phone on the 1400 block of Carpenter Street at 6:40 p.m. July 25, a 24-year-old woman encountered a man who swiped her device before running west on Carpenter and south on 16th Street, police said.
The suspect was described as black with a medium complexion, in his early 20s, 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-7 and wearing a tan shirt and shorts.
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An unknown man approached a 21-year-old woman, handed her a piece of paper with a number on it and asked to borrow her phone at 3:08 p.m. Aug. 8 on the 600 block of Fitzwater Street, police said. Instead, he took her phone, fleeing west on Fitzwater and north on Marshall Street.
The thief was described as black, age 18 to 20, 5-foot-7 and wearing a white T-shirt, blue pants, a tan watch and sneakers.
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Mounted on bicycles, two teens rode up behind a 24-year-old on the 1600 block of Mifflin Street at 4:25 p.m. Aug. 3 and grabbed her cell phone, police said. As the cyclists rode off, the 17-year-old dropped the gadget, which she recovered. The other man threatened her with a hammer, but she did not hand her phone over, so the two rode off.
The 17-year-old was apprehended, but police are still seeking the second man, who was described as 5-foot-9, thin and wearing a red shirt.
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While waiting for the Broad Street Line subway at the Tasker-Morris stop on the 1600 block of South Broad Street, a 27-year-old man had his cell taken from a holder on his thigh at 11:40 a.m. Aug. 4, police said.
The robber, who was described as black with a dark complexion, 5-foot-3 to 5-foot-4 and wearing a royal and navy blue striped shirt, fled to street level in an unknown direction.
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After asking a 28-year-old woman for the time at 8:35 p.m. Aug. 6 at Broad and Federal streets, he followed her south on the east side of Broad and tried to take her phone on the 1400 block of South Broad Street, police said. When she refused to release the device, he pushed her to the ground and kicked her four times before fleeing with the phone.
The offender, who was last seen at Broad and Tasker streets, was described as black with a light or medium complexion, age 15 to 17; having a medium build and short, dark hair; and wearing khaki shorts and no shirt.
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At 10 p.m. Aug. 6, a 22-year-old woman was sitting on the ground texting on the 700 block of South 13th Street when a man took her phone and fled on his bike west on Catharine Street and south on Broad, police said.
The man was described as black, age 16 to 20, 6 foot, 170 pounds and wearing all dark-colored clothing.
To report information, call South Detectives’ tip line at 215-685-1635 or visit www.phillypolice.com/forms.
Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
Also in this week’s Police Report:
Mourning in the morning
Nailed
Midnight madness
Surrendered to the county
Stealing from the state
Forging distress
High maintenance
Web-exclusive Police Report:
Upholding the law
Water fight
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