Four West Philly High school students were arrested Friday, Nov. 30 for package thefts on the 4200 block of Spruce Street, according to police. Two students are 16 and two are 14. It was the first arrest for all of them.

Plainclothes officers saw six teens go onto the porches and check boxes between 43rd and 42nd streets on Spruce early Friday afternoon. When they stole one package the officers attempted to grab them but the teens ran and four of them were caught near 42nd and Chester. Two teens were able to get away.

Package thefts have been on the rise in the area in the last few weeks as is typical for the holiday season, so residents are advised to apply caution and report any suspicious behavior.

An armed suspect was arrested after police chased him for several blocks on Saturday night. The man was pulled over at approximately 7:30 p.m. for an illegal lane change and fled on foot, police said. Here are some details submitted by a neighbor who lives nearby (confirmed by police).

Dozens of police officers surrounded the block of Farragut St (between 46th & 47th Streets). …They chased, tackled, and arrested an armed suspect who was on foot and attempted to get away through the back alley of several of the buildings closer to Locust St. One couple said that they saw the suspect at their back window before he was tackled. …The police were still searching for the weapon after the arrest and about 20 minutes later, a fire truck assisted the Philadelphia Police Department to search on the roof of several buildings close to where the arrest was made.

During the foot pursuit the suspect was holding a black semi-automatic handgun, according to police. The gun has not yet been recovered.

Two West Philadelphia residents were mugged last night, around 11:15 p.m. on Kingsessing between 46th and 47th Streets, according to police. Two men, one with a gun, told the victims to sit down on the ground and empty their pockets. One of the victims was hit in the face with the gun and later taken to the hospital with minor facial injuries. While the robbery was in progress, undercover police officers turned up and arrested one of the robbers on the spot, then later, after a chase, they caught the other suspect near 46th and Linmore.

The victims’ belongings were recovered, with the exception of a wallet. We are trying to get more information from the police whether this incident is related to other robberies in the area, including a very recent one when a man was robbed and pistol-whipped at 46th and Cedar Avenue.

A 17-year-old West Philly resident faces assault and robbery charges in connection with two gunpoint robberies this week along 50th Street between Hazel and Walton Avenues.

The unnamed teen allegedly held up a woman at gunpoint at about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday near 50th and Hazel and another person yesterday near 50th and Walton, according to police spokesperson Tanya Little.

The victim of Tuesday’s attack said a neighbor found her purse in her yard and guided detectives to a house near 52nd and Cedar “which appeared to be occupied by minors without adult supervision,” she said by e-mail. Police reportedly found her wallet and i-Phone in the house along with evidence from other robberies.

The victim, a 28-year-old woman named Jen, said that the person who stole her wallet on Tuesday used her debit card to buy clothing.

“[He] was wearing the exact designer apparel brands that he purchased via my debit card,” she wrote.

Police confirmed that two brothers, 19-year old Kenyatta Lloyd and 17-year old Marquis Lloyd from the 5200 block of Webster Street, were arrested in connection with three recent robberies.

Police say Kenyatta was arrested on January 26 for his involvement in a gunpoint robbery on January 9 on the 4400 block of Osage Avenue. The victim, a 25-year old man, was approached by three males, one of whom pointed a handgun at the victim and demanded his belongings. The robbers took the victim’s phone, ID and $40. Marquis Lloyd was also charged in this incident.

Marquis is also charged with two other similar robberies. One was on January 8 on the 4600 block of Larchwood Street and involved a 31-year old male. The second was on January 18 on the 4700 Springfield Avenue when a 32-year old female was robbed at gunpoint.

Marquis Lloyd is charged with robbery, aggravated assault, and weapons offenses. Kenyatta Lloyd is charged with aggravated assault, robbery, theft, and weapons offenses.