September 26, 2023
Provided Image/Philadelphia Police Department
Philadelphia police are searching for two suspects who committed two armed robberies last Saturday. They stole wallets, IDs and cash from nail salons and shot one woman, authorities said.
Philadelphia police are searching for two suspects who held up two different nail salons last Saturday. A woman working at one of the salons was shot, authorities said. Police are investigating both robberies.
The first robbery occurred at around 4:30 p.m. at North Philly's Happy Family Nail Salon and Spa, on the 1100 block of W. Girard Avenue. Police said the suspects are two men who were "wearing women’s Muslim garbs with masks," and security footage appears to show each perpetrator wearing a ski mask and chador, or cloth comprising a head covering and shawl. The suspects held salon employees at gunpoint and collected wallets, IDs and cash, police said.
The second armed robbery took place around three hours later at Fishtown's Nails in the City, on the 2400 block of Aramingo Avenue. A 43-year-old woman who pursued the robbers was shot twice in the leg and foot. She was taken to the hospital and is in stable condition, police said.
Police said one suspect, who was wearing an orange ski mask and a black and white chador, is a 6-foot-tall Black male with a stocky build. Police said the other suspect, who was wearing a blue or purple ski mask and a cheetah or leopard print chador, is a 5-foot-11-inch thin Black male.
Former Philadelphia police officer Sung Park, who works for the Pennsylvania Asian American Law Enforcement Association, believes the Asian-owned businesses were targeted because of a language barrier and because they had cash on hand.
"In order for this to change, we really need to get connected with the community at a different level. Not just reaching out and talking to them, but building real relationships for this to actually deter (crime)," Park told 6ABC.
Park said he is holding a crime prevention event this fall, at which he will educate business owners about how to handle crime.
Anyone with information about the suspects can call the police's Shooting Investigations Group at 215-686-8271. Anonymous tips can also be made by calling 215-686-8477 or submitting online.
