Man arrested in connection with three armed robberies in Northeast Philadelphia
Police arrested Tyree Hatch, 47, in connection with the robberies.
Philadelphia police have arrested a man in connection with a string of gunpoint robberies at three Northeast Philadelphia smoke shops over the weekend, including one in which a person was shot.
Police arrested Tyree Hatch, 47, on Monday in connection with the robberies, which began Saturday. The case is awaiting charging from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, Police Capt. James Kearney said Tuesday.
Kearney said that Hatch is believed to be behind the Saturday robbery of the Exotic Convenience Store on the 6700 block of Castor Avenue. In that incident, police said, a man entered the store around 1 p.m. and brandished a handgun at an employee. Police said that he forced an employee to open the store’s register and stole $500 before fleeing in a black SUV.
According to police, Hatch robbed the Cloud Nine Smoke Shop on the 2000 block of Cottman Avenue the following day around 9 p.m. In that incident, Kearney said, a gunman allegedly shot a store employee in the left shin after the victim attempted to disarm him. The robber was believed to have stolen about $400, and the employee was taken to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital and placed in stable condition.
Police also believe Hatch committed a third robbery at around 3:30 p.m. Monday at the Castor Smoke & Vape Shop on the 7100 block of Castor Avenue. Kearney said a robber pointed a gun at an employee and stole about $600 in that incident, as well as an iPhone and vape supplies.
Shortly after the Monday robbery, Hatch fled to a home on the 6700 block of Large Street and barricaded himself inside the residence after he saw police on the street, Kearney said. Police, Kearney added, had already been investigating Hatch in connection with the two previous robberies.
Around 5 p.m. Monday, Hatch surrendered to police and was placed in custody. Investigators recovered a 9mm Glock handgun at the scene that had been reported stolen from Bristol Township in July, and police believe it to be the weapon Hatch used in the robberies, Kearney said. The investigation remains ongoing.
“For today, two days away from Thanksgiving, we’re extremely thankful to get this guy off the street and in custody,” Kearney said.