Philadelphia police are searching for a man who they say was captured on video robbing a victim at gunpoint in Center City last month and may be involved in three other robberies in the city.
On Friday, Aug. 28, shortly before 2:30 a.m., a person was walking eastbound on the 1200 block of Sansom Street when two masked men – one armed with a handgun, the other with an AR-15 style rifle – stepped out of a dark gray Nissan Altima, police said.
Video shows the gunmen — who are dressed in all black clothing and wearing black facemasks — walk up to the man with their guns drawn and rob the victim. Police said they stole a diamond-encrusted watch and two gold chains worth thousands of dollars before fleeing northbound on South 13th Street.
The victim was not injured in the robbery.
Police later identified the suspect who was armed with the handgun as 32-year-old Shakur Nichols. Police said the Nissan that was used in the robbery was found outside Nichols’ home in South Philadelphia. They also said they found the black and white New Balance sneakers that Nichols was wearing during the robbery inside his home while executing a search warrant. Nichols was initially taken into custody for questioning but was then released pending further investigation.
During a press conference on Monday, Sept. 21, police said they issued a warrant for Nichols’ arrest and they are currently searching for him along with the FBI Fugitive Taskforce.
Police also said the incident was connected to another Center City armed robbery that occurred a few days earlier along the 1500 block of Locust Street on Sunday, Aug. 23, around 3 a.m.
Two of the suspects in that robbery were armed with handguns while a third was carrying what appeared to be an AR-15-style rifle.
Police said the suspects ordered the three victims to the ground and demanded their belongings. Two of the victims complied while at least one of the suspects pistol-whipped a third victim in the face, according to investigators.
The armed suspects stole cellphones, watches, car keys, wallets, driver’s licenses and an undisclosed amount of money from the victims before fleeing eastbound on Locust Street in the gray Honda Accord, investigators said. Police also said a fourth suspect – the driver – was inside the vehicle during the robbery.
Part of the robbery was recorded by a witness who posted the video on social media. NBC10 also spoke exclusively with the robbery victim in the video.
Police said the suspects in the robbery were then caught on video visiting Sin City Cabaret Nightclub on the 6100 block of Passyunk Avenue around 3:40 a.m. on Aug. 23. Two of the suspects then followed a woman who worked at the club to Tackawanna Street and robbed her at gunpoint, police said.
Police also said some of the suspects were involved in a fourth robbery on 5719 Haddington Lane in Philadelphia on Sept. 1.
While police believe all four of the robberies are related, they have not confirmed if Nichols was involved in the two that occurred on Aug. 23 and the Haddington Lane robbery on Sept. 1. They continue to investigate.
If you have any information on the robberies or the suspects, call Philadelphia police at 215-686-TIPS (8477) or post online here. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
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