Last Friday, May 24, we reported about a robbery at Forman Mills at 48th and Market that happened that afternoon. There were four masked, armed suspects in that robbery. Today, police released information and surveillance photos and videos linking this robbery and group of robbers to a series of robberies (six so far) at various commercial properties in the city, dating back to April 19. The suspects in these robberies are still at large and police are asking for public’s assistance in identifying them.

Robbery at Little Caesar’s Pizza. (Photo via Philly Police Blog)

A few of the robberies were in West Philadelphia, including robberies at Little Caesar’s Pizza located at 5901 Lancaster Avenue on May 15 and at the Dollar General Store, 801 North 48th Street, on May 22.

For more information about the robberies, description of the suspects and surveillance videos, go to Philly Police Blog.

If you have any information about the robberies in West Philadelphia you are asked to contact the Southwest Police Detectives at 215-686-3183/3184.

Here’s a good chance to support the University City Arts League (UCAL). Their annual auction and dinner, “Spring Fling,” is this Saturday (June 1), 6-10 p.m. This year, the event is being held at the Hall of Flags, Houston Hall, University of Pennsylvania (3421 Spruce Street) and tickets are still available. The auction raises funds for children’s arts programs, summer camp scholarships and other programs and operational expenses. Tickets are $65 for one or $120 for two and you get access to silent and live auctions, open bar, dinner and live music.

The evening will be divided into two segments: a silent auction from 6 to 7:30 p.m. where an estimated 150 items and gift certificates will be available for bidding and a live auction, beginning at 8 p.m. The auctions include items from a cabin in Vermont to oriental rugs to an iPad to dinner at some of the city’s most popular restaurants.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.regonline.com/ucal. For more information, visit http://ucartsleague.org/

Oolong, Matcha, Pekoe, and Chai are four adorable black and caramel colored male Guinea Pigs ready to be adopted. Oolong is the biggest boy, about 1 year old, and he is the leader of the pack. Matcha is the teenage brother, 6-12 months old, who is still trying to figure out if he wants to be a mature adult, or a rowdy youngster. Pekoe and Chai are the babies of the family, 2-6 months old, they are tiny and still learning the ropes on how to be good little piggies.

These poor little guys were surrendered to the ACCT Philly animal shelter and are now hanging out in their big, bright window enclosure at the Baltimore Pet Shoppe, greeting all the passersby with their chorus of squeaks, grunts and chatters. All four piggies are healthy and have silky, soft coats. They are friendly and inquisitive. They are available for adoption individually (adoption fee is $20 each) or in pairs, but with ACCT Philly’s Adopt-A-Buddy program, you pay only one fee, and the second adoptee is free of charge.

Guinea pigs do best when they have another of their kind to talk to and play with, so if you already have one at home, consider adopting a buddy. If you are interested in one of the babies, why not take an older role model to help him grow up?

Stop by Baltimore Pet Shoppe at 4532 Baltimore Ave any day to meet these carefree critters. Business hours are 10 am – 7 p.m. weekdays, 10 – 6 Saturday, and 11 – 6 Sunday. In most cases you can adopt and take home your new pet same day. As an added bonus, Baltimore Pet Shoppe offers a 15% discount off any purchases you make when you adopt a shelter pet.

If you have questions please call the Shoppe at 215-222-PETS (7387) or email Natalie@acctphilly.org

This is an unfortunate incident that happened to a neighbor over Memorial Day weekend and a reminder to all neighbors to make sure you don’t leave any valuables, both money-wise and of personal value, on your porches. A neighbor, Mike, who lives on the 4400 block of Larchwood Ave reports that his camera bag with photo and video cameras and other equipment (all about $1200 worth) was stolen off his porch after he left it there by accident. Mike left his bag and some other items on their porch on Sunday night after he and his wife returned home from introducing their newborn baby to family. Photos and videos of the meeting were on the cameras.

The camera bag was stolen between 11:30 p.m. on Sunday and 3 p.m. on Monday when Mike discovered that it was missing: “I accidentally left some items on our front porch… Although most items were still there, someone stole my camera bag, complete with my Pentax K10D camera, Tamron AF18-250mm lens, external flash unit, and Kodak zi8 small handheld video camera. Also, miscellaneous batteries, 2 memory cards, a lens filter.”

Mike says that he filed a report with the police. “As you can imagine, we are upset about losing around $1200 worth of equipment. But we can’t replace photos and videos of our family meeting our baby,” he writes.

Update: The stolen cameras and lens are not very common, Mike adds, so if anyone sees them at a local resale, pawn or flea market, please call him 610-389-0985.

This Wednesday, May 29, Spiral Q Puppet Theatre, Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY), and a group of students from Powel Elementary are teaming up to stage an “artful action” in front of City Hall and in the City Hall Caucus Room to protest the proposed school budget cuts. Specifically, this event addresses the need for art instruction in the schools that would be eliminated if the proposed budget comes into effect. The students will be there from 9 to 11 a.m. and are inviting other kids to join them.

Spiral Q and PCCY, which helped arrange the event, will transport several of the “Terracotta Warriors” that children made this semester as part of this year’s school-wide thematic unit on China (students choose a different country/culture each year). Each warrior is the size of a child and was decorated by a small group of children.

Along with the visuals, the students and parents will deliver petitions to Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, who is the chair of the Education Committee.

Powel invites other schools and kids to join in tomorrow’s action as it will be “a pretty cool sight to see” and also to bring “drums, signs, gongs, [and] enthusiasm!”

For more information and the tentative schedule please visit the event’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/139407546249353/

Brooklyn Qawwali Party.

40th Street Summer Series, the free family-friendly outdoor concerts on the green space behind the Walnut West Library at 40th and Walnut are coming back again this year, thanks to University City District, Penn, and The Rotunda. This year, the series has expanded to five concerts with the following dates: on May 25, June 29, July 27, Aug 31, and Sept 28. The performers list is great, as always, including Philadelphia Ukulele Orchestra, Spaceship Aloha, Millennial Territory Orchestra and more.

This Saturday prepare to dance, shake, sweat and even whirl when Brooklyn Qawwali Party kicks off the series. This 11-piece brass band from NYC performs 700-year-old Pakistani Sufi music in a “thunderous” manner (see video below). “Funky, smart, and loving, BQP captures the joyful spirit of this Pakistani folk music in a unique instrumental blend of jazz and Qawwali. It’s a good time, it’s from the heart, and it’s like nothing you’ve ever heard,” according to the event’s website.

All Summer Series concerts begin at 6 p.m. and also feature Give and Take jugglers, fire artists, face painting, and balloon art that your kids will love.

For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/155368037956719/