110833861
A North Philly man was apprehended when officers caught him robbing a deaf man in Grays Ferry Saturday.
Officers noticed Yusef Russell, aka Mark Tillison, digging through the pockets of a 48-year-old man who appeared frantic and made loud yelps at 1:28 a.m. on the 2600 block of Wilder Street Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said. When the cops investigated, the man broke free from Russell, who allegedly had a knife in his pocket.
Since the victim was deaf and mute, the officers communicated via pen and paper — on which the man allegedly wrote “robber,” Tolliver said.
Officers arrested Russell, 42, of North Philly, and charged him with robbery, possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, attempted theft and attempted receiving stolen property, according to court records. His bail was set at $25,000, but it had not been posted as of press time.
The victim was physically unharmed.
Russell pled guilty to a retail theft in 1994 in Delaware County and an additional one in North Philly last year, according to court records. He also was found guilty of simple assault and recklessly endangering another person in 2002 in North Philly.
Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
63370363
110833871
