Police have released surveillance video of a recent shooting at a donut shop at 40th and Lancaster and are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the shooter in the video. Police say an unknown male approached Fresh and Tasty Donuts at 4096 Lancaster Avenue on Sunday, July 17, at 7 a.m., and fired several shots through the glass door at the victim, a 20-year-old man, who was inside the shop. The shooter then quickly fled the area, according to police.

The victim was shot three times in the groin and was transported to Presbyterian hospital. He is expected to survive.

The suspect is described as black male, 45-50 years old, five feet eight inches tall, 180lbs, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, and armed with a handgun.  Continue Reading

UPDATE: According to police, the following bike thefts have been reported in the area since Sept. 24 in addition to the incident described below:

Sept. 24: 48th and Regent; 900 block of S. 46th St.
Sept. 26: 43rd and Sansom
Sept. 27: 200 block of S. 42nd; 200 block of S. 44th; 47th and Pine

A West Philly Local reader says that his two bicycles were stolen from his front porch on the 200 block of S. Melville Street in the early morning of Monday, Sept. 28. The whole incident was captured by a surveillance camera on the building (see image below). The stills from the video that we received show two young unidentified males checking out the bikes on the porch at 3:43 a.m. on Monday. The reader says that the video shows the same two men taking the bikes. The theft has been reported to the police.  Continue Reading

Editor’s Note: Readers’ comments are welcomed. We received a request though not to identify the block or houses seen in the video or neighbors whose surveillance camera or cameras might have been used.

The man who, armed with a gun, robbed and sexually assaulted a 29-year-old woman on the morning of October 14 on the 5000 block of Hazel Avenue, is still at large. The police have released surveillance video of the suspect and are asking for public’s assistance in identifying this person. On the video below, the suspect, an 18-20 year-old man wearing a red t-shirt and dark colored pants, can be seen walking in the area prior to the assault that took place around 11:50 a.m.

The suspect is also wanted in connection to several other robberies in the area, according to police.

If you see this person, you are asked not to approach him but to call 911 immediately. To submit a tip via telephone, dial 215.686.TIPS (8477) or text a tip to PPD TIP or 773847.