Teens charged in string of pedestrian robberies in Upper Darby
UPPER DARBY >> Two 16-yearolds – a first-time offender from Upper Darby and the other a repeat offender from Philadelphia – are being held at the Delaware County Juvenile Detention Center, charged for their alleged roles in a series of pedestrian robberies that occurred between Feb. 22-28.
Township Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood is using the situation to underscore serious crimes by minors that he believes deserve major punishment.
He said Wednesday that he is working with the Delaware County District Attorney’s office in an effort to have the two 16-year-old suspects prosecuted as adults.
“These are not kid crimes. Somebody could have died,” Chitwood said, referring to five pedestrian robberies that occurred as victims were walking in the township’s Bywood and Cardington sections. In each instance, the victims were attacked from behind, leaving residents in both areas living on edge.
“These are violent, predatory, mean-spirited robberies. Victims were hurt. Two of them had to be treated at the hospital. One of the victims was 77 years old,” Chitwood said. “In my opinion, juvenile crime is crime without consequence. In this situation, there should be heavy, serious consequences.”
Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan said he is meeting Thursday with Chitwood and his investigators, as well as Deputy District Attorney Dominick Spigarelli who oversees cases involving juvenile offenders, to review potential adult certification.
“There are certain
“These are violent, predatory, mean-spirited robberies. Victims were hurt. Two of them had to be treated at the hospital. One of the victims was 77 years old. In my opinion, juvenile crime is crime without consequence. In this situation, there should be heavy, serious consequences.” — Township Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood
legal standards that must be met and we are reviewing those facts,” Whelan said Wednesday afternoon.
The Upper Darby juvenile was arrested Tuesday night at his residence on Sherbrook Boulevard. His alleged accomplice was taken into custody Wednesday morning at his residence on Greenway Avenue in Philadelphia, Chitwood said.
Both 16-year-olds are charged in three of the five incidents, the first of which occurred at Fairfield Avenue and Simpson Street on Feb. 22, about 7:30 p.m. According to Chitwood, a 63-yearold man was out for a walk when he was “attacked from behind and knocked to the ground,” by two male assailants wearing dark hoodies.
“Give me your money, mother f-----,” they ordered the victim, Chitwood said. The suspects made off with the man’s wallet, which contained $40 and personal identification.
The other two incidents in which both alleged offenders are charged occurred within a 90-minute period and about a mile apart on Sunday, Feb. 26, according to Chitwood:
• A 77-year-old man was walking in his neighborhood in the area of Overhill Road and Chestnut Street, about 2:30 p.m., when he was ambushed from behind by two males dressed in black. The suspects demanded money, but the victim had no money. The victim sustained bruises when he was knocked to the ground, but he refused medical treatment.
• A 55-year-old man was walking in the 200 block of Fairfield Avenue about 4 p.m. when he, too, was ambushed. The victim told police that he saw the two juvenile suspects sitting on steps of a residence but thought nothing of it as he walked by them. He suffered cuts and bruises when the suspects came up behind him, punched him in the head and knocked him to the ground. The suspects made off with $20 and his keys.
According to Chitwood, the Philadelphia juvenile is also charged in two other incidents, both of them involving the theft of women’s handbags: A 35-year-old woman walking in the first block of Chatham Road on Feb. 24, about 9:30 p.m.; and a 56-year-old woman walking in the 100 block of Chatham Road on Feb. 28, about 3:15 p.m.
In both instances, Chitwood said, a lone suspect made off with the victims’ handbags that contained cash and personal identification
“It was great police work” that connected the five incidents, according to Chitwood.
Following one of the robberies in the Bywood section, Chitwood said flash information describing the two suspects was broadcast and Officer Michael DeHoratius spotted two males fitting the description while he was on patrol.
“He stopped them and wrote a report, with their names. But the victim could not make an identification,” Chitwood said.
“We find out that one of the two is from Philadelphia and had prior police contact for car thefts in Upper Darby,” Chitwood said.
Furthermore, according to Chitwood, township detectives Michael Pecko and Christopher Karr obtained three photographs that show an image of an individual in the area of the robbery that occurred Tuesday, Feb. 28, in the 100 block of Chatham Road. The images do not depict the actual robbery.
Later, when detectives showed up at the home of the Upper Darby teen Tuesday night in reference to the serial pedestrian robberies, “he implicated himself and was taken to police headquarters for further questioning,” Chitwood said.
During questioning, the detectives showed the Upper Darby teen the photographs. According to Chitwood, the Upper Darby teen identified the individual in the photographs as the 16-year-old from Philadelphia.
“He identified him by name and something along the lines that, ‘It looks like he’s getting ready to do a robbery,’” Chitwood said, noting that the Upper Darby teen was unaware of the two incidents that occurred Tuesday on Chatham Road.
According to Chitwood, detectives obtained confessions from the Upper Darby juvenile for his role in three of the robberies and the Philadelphia juvenile for his role in all five of the robberies. No weapons were used in any of the robberies, he said.
Regarding the efforts of the investigating officers, Chitwood said, “This was text book perfect.”
Currently, both teens are being held on standard 72-hour detainment at the juvenile facility in Lima, pending adjudication hearings.