PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Authorities are searching for two men who robbed a Brinks armored truck Saturday morning in Port Richmond. The FBI has taken over the investigation.
Philadelphia police said the robbery happened just before 8 a.m. on Castor Avenue near Gaul Street, around the corner from a Santander Bank branch.
According to investigators, two men wearing black clothing and ski masks stole an undisclosed amount of money and a firearm from the truck. They fled east on Castor Avenue and then south on Thompson Street in a black Hyundai.
FBI agents were seen in the neighborhood throughout the day, speaking with residents and collecting surveillance footage from nearby businesses.
Stacy Fine has lived in the area for 10 years and told our newsgathering partners at NBC10 that the robbery is part of a concerning rise in crime in the neighborhood.
“It has changed a lot, I’m petrified to walk my dog,” she said. “It’s horrible. It’s not safe for the kids, for anybody anymore, and nobody’s doing anything to help it.”
Morgan Hirst, another resident, expressed disbelief over the brazenness of the robbery.
“I feel like it’s like a little bit dystopian. Like, people are starting to rob armored trucks. Maybe it’s getting really bad out here. It seems that way,” she said.
Fine echoed the sentiment.
“How does a bank truck get robbed when they’re armed? I don’t understand. It’s crazy.”
Authorities have not yet released the amount of money stolen. Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI.