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A relatively high number of crimes has been reported in the University City District area last month. In March, 33 crimes serious crimes, including gunpoint robberies, residential burglaries, aggravated assaults with a gun, stolen cars and thefts from cars, were committed within the UCD boundaries and reported to the police, according to the latest UCD Crime Update. Twelve arrests were made in connection to those crimes, according to the report.

The UCD Public Safety Division alerts residents to a high number of robberies in March (they say that this trend has continued in April), particularly near the Market-Frankford Line and several trolley stops (see map below).  Continue Reading

Police cars at the crime scene this morning near 49th and Catharine (Photo by Brian M. Villa)

Police say a 36-year-old man was found shot to death inside a pick-up truck on the 4900 block of Catharine Street early Thursday morning.

Officers arrived on the block at just after 3 a.m. on Thursday to find the man shot several times. He was pronounced dead on the scene. The truck was still running.

Police are reviewing footage from nearby video surveillance, but have not announced any suspects.

Three blocks north on Wednesday evening, a police officer shot a man who police say advanced on them with a knife. The man was shot four times and is in critical condition. Police were responding to a report of a stabbing in a home on the 4900 block of Hazel at about 6:30 p.m. They say a man emerged from the house with a “kitchen knife.” He ignored warnings to drop the knife and one officer shot him four times, according to a police report. No stabbing victim was found, according to reports.

An internal investigation into the shooting is underway, according to police.

Police are looking for a male suspect who shot and wounded a 37-year-old man on Monday night near 52nd and Hazel. The man, who works as an attorney for Ballard Spahr, according to reports, was walking home at around 10:20 p.m. when an unknown young male ran up to him from behind and shot him in the chest when the victim was “ready to fight,” according to an interview with 6ABC.

Police believe it was an attempted robbery. The suspect fled the scene right after the shooting, according to police.

The victim was able to call the police and was taken to the hospital. He is expected to survive.  Continue Reading

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According to a University City District (UCD) crime update released last week, 43 serious crimes were reported in the boundaries that UCD covers in January, including five gunpoint robberies, three unarmed robberies, two aggravated assaults with a gun, and four residential burglaries. There were also multiple thefts from cars last month, according to the report.

Three arrests were made last month – one in connection to a robbery, and two for an aggravated assault. Most of the crimes were concentrated between 41st and 49th Streets (see the map).  Continue Reading

Two armed robberies have been reported in the University City area in the past few days, according to a crime alert issued by University City District’s Division of Public Safety. One robbery took place around 7:40 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 4 on the 4600 block of Ludlow, and the second occurred on Sunday, Jan. 6 at 9:30 p.m. on Farragut near Walnut Street. In both cases, iPhones were taken from pedestrians walking at night.

Both UCD Public Safety Ambassadors and Philadelphia Police will have an increased presence in the area, according to the report.  Continue Reading

Police have arrested a suspect in connection to the shooting death of four people, two men and two teenage women, in Cedar Park last week, according to reports. Jahlil Porter, 32, of the 200 block of E. Ashmead Street, was charged with murder, robbery, and other related charges. At least one other suspect is in custody, but had not been charged as of Thursday, Nov. 29.

The victims, identified by police as Tiyaniah Hopkins, 17, Yaleah Hall, 17, Akeem Mattox, 28, and William Taylor, 31, were found shot in the head “execution-style” in the basement of a residence on the 5100 block of Malcolm Street on Monday, Nov. 19 after a welfare call. Neighbors reported hearing banging sounds coming from the building, which was undergoing renovation, the day before.  Continue Reading