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A Northeast man allegedly failed to rob a Whitman fast food establishment, so he crossed the parking lot where he is believed to have stolen some cash from a similar venture. The next day he tried to rob the latter again, but without avail. He has since been arrested and charged for all three crimes.
Randolph Bennett, 43, is believed to have walked into McDonald’s, 120 W. Oregon Ave., at about 8:55 p.m. Dec. 15 and handed a cashier a demand note with “give me the money or I will shoot” written on it, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said. When the employee screamed, Bennett allegedly fled on foot to Burger King, 2728 S. Front St.
Inside the second restaurant, Bennett is believed to have handed an employee at the register a note that had “I have a gun. Don’t move or I’ll shoot” scribbled on it, Tolliver said. As he showed the end of a black semi-automatic handgun, he allegedly said, “give me all the bills.” The worker gave him a couple hundred dollars and he fled in an unknown direction.
The following morning at 10:25 a.m., Bennett is believed to have reentered the Burger King, reached in his jacket and told the cashier he had a gun, Tolliver said. But when the employee screamed, he allegedly ran out of the store and fled the parking lot in a 1990s-model forest green Cadillac.
Bennett was identified as a suspect Friday, Tolliver said. At 12:30 a.m. Saturday, police located and towed the Cadillac from the 600 block of Moore Street. Bennett was found in a relative’s house on the block. The relative, who owns the car, gave consent to search the vehicle from which evidence was recovered. Bennett was arrested and charged Saturday with three counts of robbery, terroristic threats and simple assaults; two counts of criminal attempted theft; and one count of possession of an instrument of crime, recklessly endangering another person, receiving stolen property; and firearm violations.
Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
Also in this week’s Police Report:
Robbery victim killed
Alleged gunman sought
$25,000 stolen
Alleged school burglar caught
Lot bandits
O Christmas tree
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