Screwdriver mugger gets 8th victim

Another woman has allegedly been attacked by a man wielding a screwdriver, Penn safety officials say, bringing the total number of West Philadelphia screwdriver robberies to eight.

The woman reported that she was robbed Nov. 21 at around 10:15 p.m. on the 3700 block of Sansom Street, near 7-Eleven.

She is not affiliated with the University.

Officials from Penn's Division of Public Safety said that the description of the suspect in this case matches the description of a man who police believe has committed seven other robberies in West Philadelphia since Nov. 9.

Four of these robberies occurred in the vicinity of

campus after which DPS officials released an alert.

The alert, which came on the morning of Nov. 21, indicated that DPS and its detective units have increased their presence in order to curb the pattern of crime.

Officials are placing added security forces in the areas where robberies have occurred, specifically at 40th and Pine streets.

Police are advising that students take precautions when walking at night and that they and utilize campus escort services 898-WALK and 898-RIDE.

The suspect is reportedly a black male in his late 20s to early 30s with a dark to medium complexion. He is between 5-foot-4 and 5-8 and between 140 and 150 pounds. Victims reported that the man wears a black, thigh-length puffy jacket and drives a dark-colored four-door car, possibly a Buick or Oldsmobile.

One victim, who reported being robbed on Nov. 17 on the 4000 block of Pine Street, is a Penn student. Another, who was allegedly robbed Nov. 21 at around 6:40 a.m. on the 3900 block of Pine Street, is a University employee.

A female Penn junior also wrote in an e-mail - which has been widely distributed via Penn listservs - that she was approached by a robber with a screwdriver on Pine Street.

The student wrote that she screamed and ran from the scene, avoiding robbery.

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