Philadelphia police are still searching for four young suspects involved in an October crime spree that involved a terrorized pizza shop and an abducted man.
According to the Philadelphia Police Department, “On October 9, 2023, at 12:26 am, an employee of Bally’s Pizza located at 5200 N. Mascher Street was loading his pick-up truck in front of the establishment, when a white SUV, possibly a GMC Acadia with a partial PA# Tag JFK-44 stopped in front of him occupied by four (4) unknown persons who got out of the vehicle, two of them were armed with firearms.”
“One of the other suspects grabbed a large piece of pipe and threatened the employee with it forcing the employee back into the restaurant,” the authorities said.
The department released a video of the incident, in which the employee can be seen with his arms raised above his head as the thugs threatened him.
(Video: YouTube)
“While inside the restaurant a second employee was in the shop closing it. The suspects showed him at least one of the firearms demanding money from the cash registers,” the police said.
“He jumped on the counter with a gun and said, ‘Give me money! More, more, more money!’” the pizza shop’s owner Nick Cavilas, told Fox 29. “He opened the register and took money from his pocket and asked him where the safe was. He said I have no safe.”
(Video: YouTube)
In the video released by police, the suspects can be seen snagging $3,000 from the drawer and going through the employees’ pockets, demanding their money.
“When neither of the complainants could produce any money, the suspects fled the shop into their vehicle and were last seen south on N. Mascher Street,” the authorities said.
Just hours later, at approximately 5:10 a.m., a 22-year-old man “was waiting for the bus at Front St and Wyoming Ave when two vehicles pulled up and parked across the street from him,” according to the police.
Two unknown men got out of a white SUV brandishing handguns and ordered the young man into the SUV, where a third suspect was waiting in the driver seat.
The kidnapped victim was then driven around as his abductors demanded his belongings and password/PIN information.
“The suspects then drove to a laundromat located at Front St and Wyoming Ave. where they withdrew money from the victim’s account,” Philly police said.
Still not satisfied, the suspects returned twice to the laundromat and withdrew more money from the victim’s account. They then dropped their victim off near the laundromat and fled.
“An undetermined amount of money was taken along with the victim’s phone, apple watch, air pods and other belongings,” police said.
According to Fox 29, “The bus stop was located just blocks away from the pizza shop.”
The police department released descriptions of the four fugitives:
Suspect #1: Hispanic male, light complexion wearing a “Tokyo” themed black hoody, black pants, gray sneakers.
Suspect #2: Hispanic male, light complexion wearing a North Face jacket with a black hood, black knit cap, gray pants with black stripe and black sneakers.
Suspect #3: Hispanic or black male, medium complexion wearing a black New Balance jacket, black pants, white Nike Air Force 1 sneakers and armed with a black semi-auto handgun.
Suspect #4: Hispanic male, light complexion wearing a light gray zip-up jacket and black pants.
They are believed to be in their late teens or early 20s.
Police are also looking for a “White 2007-2015 3rd generation Mercedes Benz C Class four door sedan with a black glass roof” and a “White 2008 GMC Acadia SUV believed to bear PA tag # JFK-4449 which is in stolen status.”
“If you see these suspects do not approach, contact 911 immediately,” the police instructed the community. “To submit a tip via telephone, dial 215.686.TIPS (8477) or text a tip to 215.686.TIPS (8477).”
Meanwhile, Cavilas is just happy that his employee wasn’t physically hurt, though he knows the incident was traumatic.
“He will never forget the picture now of the gun on the head,” the pizza shop owner said. “He’ll always remember that. Never forget.”
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Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
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