Roxborough Police Beat: Assaults, Thefts and Burglaries

The following are a select list of incidents from the first half of March as provided by the Philadelphia Police Department’s 5th District, which covers Roxborough and Manayunk.

Residential Robbery

A woman reported that on March 3 at about 10 a.m., she was awoken by the sound of two people inside her apartment on the 5100 block of Rochelle Avenue, according to a police report. The woman encountered two men, one armed with a hammer and the other with a screwdriver. The intruders asked for money and ransacked the apartment, the police report states. They then told the woman to stop crying or they would shoot her. After about 10 minutes, the suspects fled and were not caught.

Gas Station Theft

An air and vacuum system worth an estimated $2,600 was reported stolen from the Getty gas station at 7800 Ridge Avenue March 3, according to a police report. The actual theft was alleged to have occurred back on Oct. 4 at about noon. The reporting party said he attempted to recover the system before the company closed, but the owner of the gas station at the time banned company representatives from entering the property, the report states.

Attempted Burglary

A resident of the 100 block of Carson Street reported that on March 4 sometime between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., someone tried to gain entry to his home by breaking the center pane of glass on the front door and pulling the deadbolt lock out of the door, according to the police report. A secondary lock held, and the suspect was unable to gain entry inside the house, the report states.

Robbery and Assault

A man reported that while working home from work along the 300 block of Krams Avenue March 5 at about 11:45 p.m., two men walked up behind him, told him to empty his pockets, and then proceeded to kick and punch him in the head, according to a police report. The men took the victims wallet, valued at $40, and a $20 SEPTA pass. The suspects were never caught.  

Stolen Radio

A woman reported that on March 6 at about 4:40 p.m., someone entered her vehicle, which was parked on the 5400 block of Quentin Street, and stole her car radio valued at $125, according to police.

Stolen License Plate

A man reported that sometime between March 5 at 10:15 p.m. and March 6 at 2:50 p.m., someone stole the license plate from his vehicle, which had been parked on the 4300 block of Cresson Street, according to police.

Aggravated Assault

A man reported to police that on March 6 at about 6:36 p.m., another man started beating him on the head with a wooden cane causing a large laceration, and requiring medical attention, according to a police report. The incident happened on the 5900 block of Ridge Avenue. The suspect was eventually caught on the 400 block of Gerhard Street, where he was arrested and transported to Northwest Detectives for processing, the report states. The suspect, who was not identified in the police report, was known to the victim, police said.

Theft From Vehicle

A man reported that sometime between March 5 at 9 p.m. and March 6 at 1 p.m., someone stole assorted tools, a CD player and a black jacket from his truck, which had been parked on the 600 block of Port Royal Avenue, according to a police report. The stolen items are worth a total estimated value of $2,500.

Burglary

A property owner reported March 4 at 5 p.m. that someone stole building materials from his abandoned property on the 5600 block of Ridge Avenue, a police report states. The owner said the items appear to have been taken over a long period of time. The items, which have a total estimated value of about $20,000, include copper piping, radiators from 15 rooms, two large wall sinks, two large wall seats and miscellaneous tools, the police report states.

Arson

On March 10 at about 8:52 p.m., police received a call from Philadelphia Gas Works saying it had an odor and high company readings at a property on the 4500 block of Wilde Street, according to a police report. After gaining entry to the property, which is vacant, it was discovered that the gas pilots had been turned on and an accelerant was discovered in the kitchen, leading the fire marshal to rule the scene an arson, the police report states. No injuries were reported.

Retail Theft

A Willow Grove woman was arrested March 10 at about 3:30 p.m. after employees at the Kohls department store at 8500 Henry Avenue reported the woman left the store without paying for various items totaling $110, according to a police report. Samira Keith, of the 1600 block of High Avenue, was charged with retail theft, the report states.

Theft

A Roxborough High School teacher reported March 11 at 1:55 p.m. that while inside her classroom, someone took an iPhone 4 from the top of her desk without her permission, according to a police report. The stolen item is valued at $700, the report states.

Aggravated Assault By Handgun

A woman reported to police March 11 at 8:38 p.m. that her ex-boyfriend approached her and started an argument, then pointing a silver handgun at the victim and threatening her before fleeing in a vehicle, according to a police report. No injuries were reported from the incident, which took place on the 6700 block of Ridge Avenue at Parker Avenue.

Theft

A woman reported that between March 10 at 9 p.m. and March 11 at 6:30 p.m., someone stole a flatscreen TV valued at $400, an eyelash kit valued at $500, two waxing kits valued at $140 and various skin products valued at $500 from Miss Mani Pedi at 4456 Main Street, according to a police report. Various people have access to this location, which is a business, the police report states, and it was unknown who stole the items. There were no signs of forced entry, the report states.

Robbery By Handgun

Two woman reported that on March 12 at about 2:25 a.m., a man approached them along the 4600 block of Canton Street and pointed a black semi-automatic handgun at them demanding their belongings, according to a police report. The suspect then took the victims property, pushing one to the ground before fleeing, the report states. No injuries were reported.

Theft From Vehicle

A woman reported that sometime between March 12 at 10:40 p.m. and March 13 at 1:30 a.m., someone broke the lock to her vehicle, which was parked on the 3700 block of Main Street, and stole a GPS unit worth an estimated $200, according to a police report.

Theft From Vehicle

A woman reported that sometime between March 12 at 12 p.m. and March 13 at 11 p.m., someone broke the front door and window on her vehicle, which was parked on the 400 block of Pensdale Street, and stole a GPS unit, an iPod and two tennis rackets, all valued at a total of $500, according to a police report.

Roxborough-Manayunk Patch will continue to provide you with police blotter information as it becomes available.