Police: Cigarette thieves targeting convenience stores on the Main Line
In the latest incident, police say the suspect threatened the clerk with a knife before making off with several packs of Newport cigarettes.
The latest incident took place May 26 at 6:17 p.m. at the 7-Eleven store located at 1401 City Avenue in the Penn Wynne section of Lower Merion when a man entered the store and immediately walked behind the counter. As he walked toward the cigarettes, the clerk confronted the man. The suspect then threatened the clerk with the knife he was holding in his hand.
The clerk backed away and the man grabbed several packs of Newport cigarettes, put them inside a duffel bag before running from the store.
Although there is no indication that the Penn Wynne robbery is the work of the same men, police say in the other cases the suspects grabbed the cigarettes when the clerk’s back was turned.
In most of those cases men are entering area convenience stores including Sunoco and Wawa stores and stealing packs and cartons of Newport cigarettes.
Police say in many of the thefts they’ve been investigating a male enters the store and asks for cartons of cigarettes. As the clerk is completing the transaction the customer then asks for an additional item. When the clerk turns his back the second male reaches over the counter and removes cartons of cigarettes.
The men have then been seen leaving the store and entering a small, black SUV, possibly a Chevy Trax.
Tuesday police released video surveillance of the thefts showing two suspects. The first suspect was described by police as a black male, 5 foot 6 inches tall with a stocky build. He was possibly in his 40s with a bald head, and walking with a limp. The second suspect was described as a black male about 6 foot 4 inches with a medium build. He was 30-40 years of age, bald head with a beard. Anyone with information asked to Lower Merion is Platoon Investigator Officer James Black at 610-6456234 or police at 610-6491000.