Police made a second arrest in the Mad 4 Mex armed robbery case yesterday morning, charging another man in the incident where the restaurant lost $5,800.
Ikeem Mont, 18, of North Philadelphia is accused of taking part in the Sunday crime. The arrest is the second in as many days, after Tavon Jordan, also of North Philadelphia, was apprehended Monday.
Investigators have still not determined whether the robbery at Mad 4 Mex, located at 3426 Moravian St. is linked to another armed robbery that occurred at Cosi -- located at 36th and Spruce Streets -- earlier on the same date. The crimes caused the local restaurants to lose a combined $8,650.
"At this point there does not seem to be a link between the Cosi and Mad 4 Mex robberies," Penn Police Deputy Chief of Investigations Bill Danks said. "But it is not out of the realm of possibility."
Police entered Mont's home in the 2000 block of W. Westmoreland Avenue in North Philadelphia at approximately 6 a.m., ready with arrest and search warrants.
After searching the home and finding a .357 revolver and Sturm Ruger guns that investigators said were likely used by the robbers, police brought Mont to the Penn Police headquarters. There, he was charged with robbery, theft, receiving stolen property, terroristic threats, simple assault, possession of an instrument of crime, violation of the Uniform Firearms Act, and conspiracy.
Jordan remains in custody after he failed to pay $50,000 bail. His preliminary hearing will be Jan. 19.
Danks said Jordan's case will likely be heard at the same time as Mont's.
"What will probably happen is the guy we arrested today will go through the system tonight and have the same hearing, so the case merges," he said.
Depending on the specifics of the case, the suspects may face up to 40 years in jail.
"Robbery of this type is a penalty of the first degree," Danks said. "It carries a jail time of no less than 20, no more than 40 years."
