Editor’s Note: We chose not to publish the name of the teenager involved in this case. We take into account the severity of the crime, whether they are charged as an adult and a suspect’s previous record when we make that decision.

Police arrested a 16-year-old early after he tried to rob an undercover police officer at gunpoint near 47th and Springfield on Monday night. The teen also confessed to a string of recent robberies in the neighborhood, according to police.

Police say four undercover officers were patrolling (two on foot and two in an unmarked car) on 47th Street when a male started following one of the officers at about midnight. Near 48th and Springfield, the young man came up behind the officer, “put a silver handgun to his head” and shouted “Give it up. Just give it to me. Give it to me,” according to a police report.

The officer handed over an iPhone and as the young man pulled the gun away from his head, the officer hit it with his elbow, knocking the gun to the ground.

According to the police report:

“The male … began to struggle with the officer by punching and kicking him. They fell to the ground where the male continued to kick and swing at the officer until the other officers came to his assistance and were finally able to get the male into custody.”

The officer was treated for cuts at Mercy Hospital and released.

Although the gun looked authentic, it was a replica that did not fire, according to the report.

The male, whose name we are not publishing, was charged with assaulting a police officer and robbery.

Police say that the male also confessed to three other robberies on Sunday and Monday in the neighborhood, including one at 45th and Spruce, with two other teens.

Police listed the teen arrested during the robbery of the police officer as living on the 1300 block of Ellsworth Street in South Philly. He had no previous record.

Editor’s note: A neighbor wrote us yesterday to describe a mugging at 48th and Florence on Sunday night. She agreed to let us print her account, minus her name. She has reported the incident to police.

I was told I should let you all know about this so that others could be on the lookout. Last night at [about 11:30 p.m.]. I was mugged at 48th and Baltimore right outside of Gold Standard walking down Florence Ave. [She] was a short (5’2″ or shorter) middle-aged African American woman wearing a dark knit cap and a blue or black heavy coat. She initially approached asking for fare to get to 69th and Market. When I wouldn’t go along with her story she got mad and threatened my life, claiming to have a weapon. I didn’t see one and she may not have had one, but I figured it wasn’t worth the risk and gave her my empty wallet. She tried to use my debit card at a CVS, I’m not sure which one. It got flagged by fraud prevention and I canceled all of my cards. Hopefully people will keep on the lookout for this person. She also had very bad teeth. If you need anything else, please let me know. Also, if you could please not print my name or identifying details, I would appreciate that.

Police are searching for a suspect in two gunpoint robberies that happened Sunday night about midnight on the 900 block of South 47th Street and on 49th Street near Chester Avenue. Police believe the same man – a black male, approximately 20 years old, about 5-foot-8-inches tall, wearing a green hoody and blue jeans – is responsible for both robberies.

The first robbery happened at about at about 11:45 p.m. when the suspect approached a couple, ages 26 and 28, who were walking down 47th Street near Warrington. Brandishing a silver handgun, the man demanded their cell phones and wallets, which they did. He fled south on 47th Street.

The second robbery occurred about 45 minutes later a few blocks away, near 49th and Chester, when police say the same suspect with a silver handgun demanded money and a cell phone from a 36-year-old male.

None of the victims were injured. Police are asking those with information to call 215-686-TIPS or text short code PPDTIP. You can also submit anonymously here.

The Southwest Police Division has issued a burglary alert in some neighborhoods and is warning residents of an increase in burglaries by distributing flyers in mailboxes, according to West Philly Local readers. The alert also includes tips on how to prevent a burglary at your residence. We wrote about an increase in residential burglaries in the University City area last month.

UPDATE: We learned that the 18th police district is putting out flyers when there is a burglary on the block now. “Kind of a heads up as to what’s going on,” says Joe Murray of Southwest Police Detectives.

Burglaries in West Philadelphia in the past month (Source: Crimereports.com).

Police are searching for a person who robbed the Garden Court Eatery at 4725 Pine Street early Saturday morning, according to Joseph Murray of Southwest Detectives. The robbery happened shortly before 1 a.m. and the suspect is described as a 25-year-old black male with a beard wearing a red hooded sweatshirt and armed with a gun. A female employee was at the store at the time of the robbery, according to police. The suspect took an unknown amount of money and cigarettes and fled the store. No injuries were reported.

This is the second time that the Garden Court Eatery has been targeted in the past month. There was a robbery attempt on January 23 when a male suspect walked into the store, pointed a gun at a female employee and demanded money. After the woman started screaming, the suspect ran away.

Police are searching for the driver of a grey Pontiac minivan who struck a 5-year-old boy this morning at 52nd and Baltimore and fled the scene. The car’s Pennsylvania license plate number is HCA-5975, according to police.

The boy was taken to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and is in stable condition, according to CBS.

If you see the vehicle, call police at 215-686-TIPS (8477).