The man who allegedly robbed a South Broad Street storeowner last Tuesday afternoon had his runaway cut short by Good Samaritans, police said.
Residents of the 1300 block of South Carlisle Street tackled the alleged culprit and waited for police.
The shop owner, Navaline Tanksley, 58, was stunned at how the neighbors jumped into action.
"I’m amazed at what those people did for me," she told the Review a day after the incident.
Third District Officer Kevin McAvey arrested Terrance Cash, 36, of the 2200 block of Greenwich Street, said Sgt. Steve Biello of South Detective Division. Cash was charged with robbery and related offenses.
Tanksley told police a man entered her store, Elegant Imagery, 1508 S. Broad St., around 3 p.m. and feigned an interest in ordering business cards, reported Detective Joe Gibson. Suddenly, the man reached across the counter and started choking her, the detective said.
The robber then grabbed a pair of scissors and placed them against the victim’s neck while demanding money, Biello said.
The culprit fled the store with a CD player and $100, said the sergeant.
Tanksley sustained scratches to her neck and bruises on her arms, but didn’t require hospitalization, Biello said.
Drugs ignited fire?
Flames erupted Tuesday afternoon inside a rear bedroom of a two-story home on the 1100 block of Wolf Street. Several neighbors who stood on the sidewalk and watched firefighters battle the blaze said the home has been a known den of drug use.
A fire official at the scene confirmed that drug paraphernalia was found inside the bedroom and in other areas of the house.
When Engine 49, Ladder 27 and Battalion 1 arrived at 1:21 p.m., they found several young men in their 30s inside the house, said Assistant Fire Marshal Lt. Vincent Heeney.
Heeney said the blaze was contained at its origin 15 minutes after it broke out, and no one was injured.
The fire marshal cited the cause of the fire to be an "open flame."
Holdup not handy
A 25-year-old man was accidentally shot in the hand when a man tried to rob him at gunpoint as he was leaving a store on the 900 block of South 19th Street, said police.
The victim was leaving the store around 5 p.m. Friday when the perpetrator pulled a dark-colored gun and attempted to rob him, said Sgt. Steve Biello of South Detectives. In the ensuing struggle, the victim tried to grab the gun but it discharged, wounding him in the left hand, Biello said.
The victim was taken to St. Agnes Medical Center, where he was listed in good condition earlier this week.
The shooter got nothing for his trouble as the victim had no money on him, police said.
Purse-snatching suspect snatched
A 43-year-old woman went head to head with five teenaged girls who tried to mug her Sunday night on the 1700 block of Federal Street.
Police later arrested one of the suspects, identified as Shanika Buie, 18, of the 1700 block of Dickinson Street, said Sgt. Steve Biello of South Detectives.
The victim told police two of the girls assaulted her while grabbing her purse in the 10 p.m. incident. After she managed to get her purse back, the woman ran away and flagged down a 17th District police sergeant who happened to be driving by, Biello said.
The sergeant drove the woman back to the scene of the crime, where Buie was identified and apprehended, said Biello.
The victim sustained abrasions to her face but did not require hospitalization.
Homeless man nabbed in break-in
Police arrested a homeless man identified as Jerome Green after he was caught allegedly breaking into a residence on the 1100 block of Webster Street, police said.
The 22-year-old suspect gained entry by forcing open a front window at 8:45 p.m. Friday, said Sgt. Steve Biello of South Detectives.
A television had been stolen from the house, police said.
Undercover crooks
Three men who identified themselves as undercover police officers demanded a man’s money on the 1900 block of Passyunk Avenue early Sunday and then attacked their victim, police said.
The assailants tied the 23-year-old victim’s hands with flex cuffs and assaulted him in the 2:30 a.m. incident, said Sgt. Steve Biello of South Detectives.
The perpetrators’ plan backfired when they discovered the victim had no money, so they released him before making their escape in a red Mustang convertible, Biello said. The victim suffered scrapes and bruises but did not require hospitalization.
