2 teens busted in U.D.’s ‘two-person crime wave’
Duo will be charged as adults to face charges in cab driver robberies, attacks on 2 women
“They are real scumbags. When you hold a gun to someone’s head, that’s being a violent predator. They are both facing charges as adults because of the sheer terror of these two girls for terrorizing people with a gun. These were serial holdups, a twoperson crime wave. They just wanted money.”
—Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood
UPPER DARBY » Serial robbers preying on cabbies and women in late June have been identified as two teenage girls who will be charged as adults, police said.
Kemonie McKee, 16, of the 300 block of North 61st Street, Philadelphia, surrendered on Sunday and jailed in lieu of posting $500,000 cash bail after arraignment on Monday.
Her alleged accomplice, identified as Syniah Martinez, 17, of the 5100 block of Spruce Street, Philadelphia, remains at large.
“They are real scumbags,” township Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said. “When you hold a gun to someone’s head, that’s being a violent predator. They are both facing charges as adults because of the sheer terror of these two girls for terrorizing people with a gun. These were serial holdups, a two-person crime wave. They just wanted money.”
Police continue to search for an unidentified man for his involvement as the driver of the getaway car in one of the robberies.
According to Chitwood, the string of robberies in Upper Darby began when two taxi drivers were dispatched to separate locations on June 19.
A 35-year-old cab driver, employed with Get A Cab, was dispatched to the 100 block of Glendale Road to pick up a fare at 9:30 p.m. June 19.
“One of the women approached and then a second woman came up to the driver’s side with a firearm,” Chitwood said. “She held the gun to the driver’s head and demanded money. He handed over about $100 and the two robbers ran away. Less than two hours later at 11:30 p.m. it was the same thing. The driver, 43, employed by County Cab, was dispatched to Copley Road and one of the women opened the door and put the gun to his head. He handed over $90.”
Police were searching for the bandits in the cab driver holdups when the duo allegedly attacked and robbed two women, ages 52 and 86, visiting from Ecuador on June 23 on Kent Road.
“An 86-year-old woman was hit with a gun on the arm when she refused to turn over her handbag,” Chitwood said. “It’s the same women committing these holdups. It’s the same M.O. and the same physical description except in the third one involving the two female victims they were seen getting into the back seat of a car.”
The vehicle was first identified as a Chevy Impala but later identified as a Hyundai Sonata, and was allegedly stolen in Philadelphia in a carjacking. A total of $900 and two cell phones were stolen in the robbery-purse snatches. Nothing has been recovered. “This is an ongoing investigation that exploded,” Chitwood said. “Both girls were identified by the cab drivers. Detectives Phil Lydon and Justin Clark with Philadelphia police officers did a great job. These detectives did not stop. They worked around the clock in Upper Darby and Philadelphia. They got locations and they got names of potential suspects. Philly police really helped us out. It was a great collaborative effort. We beat the bush pretty good to find the female robbers.
“We believe they are also involved in three pizza delivery jobs in Philadelphia.”
According to Chitwood, McKee gave a statement and admitted using a black BB gun in the robberies.
An innocent victim in the crime wave is the 11-year-old sister of Martinez, who was in the alleged stolen car with the girls after one heist.
She suffered a broken arm when the car they were driving crashed in Philadelphia, Chitwood said.
McKee was arraigned on two counts of robbery, theft and related offenses for the cabbie incidents and two counts of robbery, theft and assault for the attack on the two women on Kent Road.