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Crime Watch

West Philly News Roundup

September 15, 2014

Here’s a short roundup of some recent news from around West Philadelphia.

Christina_Regusters

Christina Regusters.

A West Philadelphia woman, Christina Regusters, was found guilty on Friday of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 5-year-old girl in January, 2013. The verdict was reached by the jury of seven women and five men after several days of testimony, which included some harrowing details. The victim, now 7, also testified at the trial and is credited by the team of investigators for leading them to her kidnapper. The little girl required a surgery after being sexually assaulted. Regusters, 21, faces up to life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 15.

• University City Science Center opened a 13-story, 330,000-square-foot, $100 million, office building at 3737 Market Street on Friday. Eight floors of the building are occupied by University of Pennsylvania’s Health System patient care. Other tenants include: Spark Therapeutics (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia gene therapy spinoff), Good Shepherd Penn Partners, and Corner Bakery on the ground floor (opens in winter). Technical.ly has some more details here.

The building at 40th and Ludlow, which until recently housed a pet store, is for sale, Naked Philly reports. The 3-story, approximately 4,300 sq. foot commercial-type property at 27-29 S. 40th St is currently listed for sale for $879K. The pet store that the building housed, Tradewinds Aquarium and Pet Center, closed in the Spring after decades of operation.

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$140,000 worth of jewelry stolen from car at 52nd and Market

September 3, 2014

Police are investigating a theft from a car parked near 52nd and Market that left the owner, a 74-year-old man, short of about $140,000 worth of gold jewelry.

The incident happened at around 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday when the man parked his car, a Lexus SUV, and went to the nearby Cash for Gold store. He left a duffel bag inside his vehicle containing approximately $140,000 worth of various jewelry items, including rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings, according to police.

The man told police that he was inside the store for about 5 minutes. When he returned to his car he noticed that the front passenger side window was smashed and the bag with jewelry was gone.

Police are searching for the male theft suspect, who was riding a mountain bike. Witnesses told police that the man broke the car window with a hammer and took the bag. Police say they have surveillance video of the incident from a nearby store and that the investigation continues. We’ll update when we have more information.

 

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Armed men break into, rob fraternity house near 42nd and Baltimore

August 28, 2014

UpsilonSigmaPhi

Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity house. (Photo West Philly Local)

Police are searching for two armed men who forced their way into and robbed a fraternity house at 42nd and Pine near 42nd and Baltimore Wednesday morning at around 2 a.m.

The fraternity members in the house, the University of Sciences students, were hosting a birthday party at the time, NBC10 reports. Students at Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity house answered a knock on the door. The gunmen ordered the students to the ground, took cash – much of the fraternity’s newly collected dues from a safe in the house – and fled, according to police. One of the students was also attacked during the invasion as he told NBC10.

Penn and the University of Sciences planned to issue safety alerts to their students today.

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Suspect caught after gunpoint robbery at 50th and Walton

August 26, 2014

crimePolice arrested a 36-year-old man after he allegedly robbed at gunpoint a 24-year-old man near 50th and Walton.The robbery took place on Monday night, around midnight, after the victim, a Penn student, exited the 34 Trolley at 50th, according to information provided by his friend.

The suspect followed the young man onto Walton Avenue, then approached him, pointed a black handgun at him and demanded his wallet, according to police. The suspect took the young man’s backpack that contained his tablet, phone, wallet and other small items. After the robbery the suspect fled on foot.

Police surveyed the area and apprehended the suspect near 60th and Christian Streets. Police recovered the phone and $80 from the suspect. The backpack was found on the street. Police also found and confiscated a black long barreled revolver.

Police say that the same suspect was involved in a robbery that took place on August 21, at around 11:40 p.m., when a woman was robbed near 48th and Hazel. Police also confiscated a Canon camera from the suspect that was taken from the woman during the robbery.

 

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Two protesters arrested after skirmish with police near 45th and Baltimore on Saturday

August 24, 2014

Part of the police presence near 45th and Springfield on Saturday evening during a rally in Clark Park related to recent events in Ferguson, Mo. A small group of protesters, most of whom did not attend the rally, later clashed with police (Photo by Mike Lyons/West Philly Local).

A 20-year-old female, a Cedar Park resident, and 25-year-old male from New Windsor, New York were arrested Saturday evening after they threw balloons filled with paint at a police vehicle near 45th and Baltimore.

The incident happened around 8:30 p.m. when a group of young people exited Clark Park “A” onto Chester toward 45th Street following a rally focused on the events in Ferguson, Mo. The members of the group did not take part in the rally and arrived as it was dispersing.

The group walked north on 45th Street and overturned trashcans, according to police. Approximately 20 police vehicles were parked in the area at the time, many of them on 45th Street between Chester and Baltimore.

Police say 20-year-old Hannah Weaver of the 4700 block of Baltimore Ave. threw a balloon filled with purple paint at a police car patrolling the area as she walked north on 45th Street. An officer who was in the car apprehended Weaver after a brief foot chase and struggle.

Two other officers exited their vehicle and pursued a male protester, identified as 25-year-old Jordan Davis of New Windsor, NY, after he also threw paint-filled balloons at police vehicles. One officer “deployed his Taser with no effect”, according to the police report, and Davis was apprehended after a brief struggle.

Police say that they found numerous leaflets in Weaver’s bag titled “Hoods UP!” recommending that protesters wear scarves or bandanas to avoid detection during a demonstration.

The estimated damage to the police vehicles is approximately $5,000, according to police. It is unclear whether Weaver and Davis have been charged.

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Gunpoint robbery at Baltimore Avenue barbershop

August 20, 2014

crimePolice are investigating a gunpoint robbery Monday night at a barbershop at 4702 Baltimore Avenue.

Police say two men entered the Hair Lounge at about 10:50 p.m. and demanded cash and property from patrons and employees. Both robbers were armed with silver handguns and one of the men fired a shot into the ceiling of the storefront business during the robbery, according to police. At least four people were robbed, but no one was injured during the robbery.

The robbers made off with wallets, cash, cell phones and even car and house keys. One phone was recovered after police contacted the carrier, which tracked the phone to the 1100 block of S. 47th. Police also recovered a silver revolver from inside the barber shop.

Police pursued one of the men, but lost him on the 4800 block of Baltimore Avenue. A witness chased the other man southeast and lost him near 46th and Springfield.

 

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