Blind man beaten and mugged in Upper Darby
UPPER DARBY » Police are seeking information on the attack and robbery of a 75-year-old legally blind man Sunday afternoon in the first block of Glendale Road.
“It’s just sadistic, mean, nasty, words can’t describe it,” said Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood. “This predator is a true scumbag as far as I’m concerned. So hopefully we can get some information and make an arrest.”
The victim, a township resident, makes a daily pilgrimage by elevated train from 69th Street Station to 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, where he walks three and a half miles before returning home, according to Chitwood. He is legally blind but can see enough to walk, Chitwood said.
“He said the reason that he does that, he doesn’t walk through West Philadelphia because he’s afraid something would happen to him,” Chitwood said. “Well lo and behold, he’s walking down the street, one man attacks him from behind, grabs him, pulls him down.”
Chitwood said the robber broke the senior victim’s hip in the process and made off with about $100 in cash, a flip phone and a navy backpack. The victim could not give a description of his attacker except to say it was a black male.
Chitwood visited the victim at Delaware County Memorial Hospital with Capt. James Reif Monday morning, where a doctor was explaining that he would have to undergo surgery on his hip. Despite his current circumstances, Chitwood said the victim nonetheless seemed upbeat and thanked the officers for coming to see him.
Chitwood believes the victim was followed from 69th Street and had detectives there Monday looking into surveillance videos that might help identify the attacker. Police are also looking into obtaining videos from nearby businesses and checking to see if there are any stores in that area of Glendale Road that might have video surveillance set up.
“We’re asking for the community’s help,” said Chitwood. “It’s going to be video and/or community members who know about it.”
Police are asking anyone with information to call 610-734-7693.