Also by Fred Durso Jr.
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Just as Christmas was about to end, a man received a taste of violence.
Reginald Branham, owner of the Cognac Corner Bar on the 1400 block of South 21st Street, was shot inside his establishment at 10:15 p.m.
The 37-year-old was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was pronounced dead at 10:45 p.m., Officer Raul Malviero of the Police Public Affairs Unit said. Investigators are still seeking a motive and no arrests have been made.
To report information, call the Homicide Division at 215-686-3334/5.
Burglars steal $85,000
An employee at Toys "R" Us, 2703 S. Third St., entered the store Christmas night only to discover missing wads of cash and items from the safe.
After unlocking the doors to let in her night crew at 8:57 p.m., the worker noticed the safe was forced open. An estimated $85,000 and an undetermined amount of video games were gone, Detective Joe Chiaro of South Detective Division said.
An investigation revealed entry was made after the burglars cut a lock securing the roof hatch, Chiaro said. The incident still is under investigation.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.
Victim in critical condition
A man was in critical but stable condition after taking a bullet to the back at about noon Friday on the 2000 block of Dickinson Street.
While standing on a corner, the 44-year-old heard gunshots. He then ran several blocks, at which point he was shot in the back, Detective Joe Chiaro of South Detectives said.
Detectives recovered several 9mm casings at the scene.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.
Parolee charged in 10 robberies
A career criminal from Southwest Philly on parole for prior burglaries was arrested and charged Dec. 21 with 10 more heists.
Investigators nabbed Sherman Howard, 55, from the 6500 block of Regent Street, at his residence at about 11 a.m. and charged him with 10 counts each of burglary, criminal trespassing, receiving stolen property and possession of an instrument of crime, Detective Eric Johnson of South Detectives said.
Between Nov. 19 and 26, Howard allegedly broke into storage units at Philly Self Storage, 2990 S. 20th St., by using a pry bar to rip the slide carriage and padlocks off units that had roll-down security gates, the detective said. Police sifted through 10 days of surveillance from the facility in an effort to catch the perpetrator.
"The units contained a myriad of items. This guy was taking everything he could," Johnson said.
Many spaces were rented by contractors who stored tools and other equipment. One unit contained 70 cases of hardwood flooring while another was full of a young couple’s wedding gifts, including china, a vacuum cleaner and toaster oven. In another heist, a disc jockey had his equipment stolen from a unit, Johnson said.
Police recovered about half of the total items stolen.
At the time of the robberies, Howard was on parole until 2012 for prior burglaries throughout the city, police said.
"He’s been in and out of the [criminal justice] system since the ’60s" the detective added.
Bleached in face
A man is in serious condition after having bleach thrown in his face on the 2300 block of Tasker Street Dec. 23.
During the 10 a.m. incident, the 53-year-old was approached by a woman he knew and an unknown male. The two tossed the liquid in his eyes, struck him with a handgun and took a statue of a horse and $25 from his pockets, Detective Joe Chiaro of South Detectives said.
The victim suffered bleach burns and lacerations on his face and was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
The woman ran into a residence on the block where the incident occurred and was later identified as the assailant. Khadijah Bey was charged with robbery, theft, aggravated and simple assault, possession of an instrument of crime, recklessly endangering another person, conspiracy and receiving stolen property, Chiaro said. The male assailant fled the scene.
Midnight carjacking
A woman was forced from her car 12:37 a.m. by an attacker, who then drove off with her money and vehicle.
While inside the car on the 600 block of Pierce Street, the 27-year-old was approached by the male who pointed a possible handgun at her. He pulled her from the automobile and demanded the car keys and money, Detective Joe Chiaro of South Detectives said. After taking $40, a cell phone and jacket, the man fled westbound on Moore Street in the black 1999 Volkswagon Jetta with license plate number MSW44N.
The perpetrator was described as Hispanic, 5-foot-8, 160 pounds, age 20 to 25 and wearing a dark hoodie.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.
Deliverymen targeted
This time last year, the 17th District experienced a spike in pizza-delivery robberies. Now it’s happening again, police said.
The recent incidents happened throughout November.
Drivers from the Point Breeze location of Southside Pizza, 917 S. 20th St., were hit twice — the latest on Nov. 24 — and from its Eighth-and-Mifflin store once, Detective Eric Johnson of South Detectives said. Thieves also targeted Domino’s Pizza deliverymen twice, the latest on Nov. 30.
Many of the thefts have occurred on the 1800 block of Titan Street, where offenders would call for a pie then ambush the driver from an empty lot on that block, the detective said.
The latest incident happened in the 1st District Dec. 26 on the 2700 block of Cantrell Terrace in the Wilson Park low-income housing development. A 22-year-old driver for Day & Night Pizza, 1801 Snyder Ave., was robbed of his pie and $200, Detective Joe Chiaro of South Detectives said.
Police arrested a 17-year-old from the 2800 block of Cantrell Terrace and 18-year-old Reginald Lewis from the 2700 block of Cantrell Terrace. Both were charged with robbery, theft, receiving stolen property, firearms violations and related offenses.
The suspects and a third man — still at large — robbed the victim at gunpoint and then fled, Chiaro said, adding the two were nabbed in the area shortly after.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.
Robbed by group
Police said a 33-year-old waited three days to tell authorities he was mugged by about six to eight teens on the 1900 block of Mole Street.
At about 7:30 p.m. Christmas Eve, the group converged on the man while he was walking, Detective Joe Chiaro of South Detectives said.
Brandishing a gun, one of the teens instructed the man not to move and to surrender his cash.
The offenders — who were described as black, about 15 to 16 years old and wearing dark clothing — fled in an unknown direction with the man’s Nokia cell phone valued at $200.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.
Scream thwarts attack
A 38-year-old’s screams scared off an assailant after the man pulled a knife and dragged her into an alley.
The offender approached her at about 6:30 a.m. Dec. 18 on the 1800 block of Iseminger Street and tried to engage her in conversation, according to a bulletin issued by the Special Victims Unit. At knifepoint, the man forced her into an alley off Iseminger, where she yelled and he fled.
The perpetrator was described as black, about 25 years old, 5-foot-10 with a thin build and wearing a black jacket.
To report information, call SVU at 215-685-3264.
Busted again
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A man charged Dec. 4 with running a marijuana lab out of a leased unit at Dockside Luxury Apartments, 717 S. Columbus Blvd., was busted again Dec. 18 — this time in Upper Darby.
Saji Ravindran, 29, of Upper Darby, allegedly ran a marijuana lab out of his father’s Drexel Hill home, Upper Darby Police Superintendent Mike Chitwood said.
Investigators seized about $18,000 worth of marijuana-growing equipment, including chemicals, heat lamps, packaging equipment and close to 100 plants.
For the Upper Darby raid, Ravindran was charged with manufacturing, possession, possession with intent to deliver and risking a catastrophe. His charges for the Dec. 4 incident were the same and also included conspiracy and recklessly endangering another person.
