Police shared information on some of the recent robberies in the area. Six gunpoint robberies were reported in the area in August and four gunpoint robberies total in June and July, according to the monthly University City Crime Update. Based on previous years, September and October are more active months in terms of crime. We’ll keep you posted. Also, check out the Crime Reports website for more crime reports.

Two people, a 34-year-old woman and a 39-year-old man were robbed at gunpoint on October 23 on the 5000 block of Pine Street by two teens (approximately 15-18 years old), according to a police report. The robbery took place at around 8:20 p.m. The suspects approached the victims from behind while they were walking in the area and one of them pointed a black handgun at the couple and demanded their property. The suspects took the victims’ wallets containing credit cards and some cash and their phones and then fled westbound on Pine Street, according to the report. This investigation is ongoing. 

Another robbery attempt and assault happened on the same block – 5000 block of Pine – on October 27, at around 9:40 a.m. The victim, a 61-year-old man, was at his residence when he heard knocking on the front door. He opened the door and greeted a man in the doorway. The man said he was a police detective and was investigating an incident that had happened the night before, according to a police report.

The victim asked the man for his ID, but instead the man pulled out a can of pepper spray out of his bag and immediately began spraying the victim in the face. He then punched the victim in the face multiple times and tried to drag him inside the residence. The man told the victim that he had a gun and that he would shoot him, according to the report. After that neighbors started responding to the shouts, and the victim’s roommate interrupted the struggle. The suspect fled west on Pine Street and then north on 51st. Nothing was taken from the victim. The victim was transported to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center with head injuries.

A neighbor who witnessed the attack wrote us: “It is unusual for this block. But today’s attack seemed particularly heinous. It was full daylight and the perpetrator was obviously prepared to find people at home.”

The suspect is described as a black male in mid 20’s, clean shaven, medium built. He was wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt with a green camouflage vest on top. He was carrying an olive green back pack with black trim.