The man allegedly responsible for a series of robberies by point of screwdriver around University City over the last month is in custody, Philadelphia and Penn police say.
Police have positively identified the suspect in three of the incidents, and are awaiting for victims to verify his identity in five more robberies, police said at an afternoon press conference Friday.
The suspect had already been in custody on charges for assaulting a police officer when he was connected with the screwdriver-related crimes, Philadelphia Police Capt. Michael Sinclair said.
In that incident, which occurred Nov. 29, the suspect allegedly rammed his car into a police vehicle when the officer tried to stop him for vehicle violations.
The connection between the man and the University City crime string was made because he was linked to a car impounded Nov. 25. Police used footage taken at a Wawa convenience store after one of the robberies to connect the impounded car with the crimes, Sinclair said.
The car, a green Nissan with a missing hubcap, was being held by the parking authority because the suspect had allegedly been driving it without a license.
Officials at Penn's Division of Public Safety hailed the arrest as bringing a significant improvement to the safety of area residents and Penn students.
The robber had "put a crink in everybody's lifestyle," Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush said.
She added that the robberies were especially troubling because there was "no rhyme or reason as of when he would attack" and that the robber had "plagued this area with fear."
Police declined to release the suspect's name until arraignment because they are waiting to identify him in conjunction with the five other robberies.
Told about the arrest, students seemed to be relieved that a suspect was finally in custody.
"Now I'm not scared to walk home again," College sophomore Hillary Kaplan said, adding that the arrest was "awesome."
College junior Jessica Turner said that the arrest makes her feel safer because she was "terrified of walking out past 6 p.m."
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