Philadelphia DA walks back denial of city's crime crisis
Larry Krasner apologizes for his 'inarticulate' message as murders skyrocket in the city; Bryan Llenas reports.
Philadelphia authorities confirmed that a string of armed robberies in affluent neighborhoods are connected and were carried out by the same crew of robbers.
Authorities say that 10 armed robberies that have unfolded in the City of Brotherly Love since September are connected, CBS 3 reported.
In one of the robberies, suspects jumped from a car in Center City, cornered a group of people on the street and reportedly stole a pair of Rolex watches from two men. The watches are valued at $37,000, CBS 3 reported.
In another robbery, a groom was robbed at gunpoint while standing outside his wedding reception in Old City. The groom’s Rolex was also stolen.
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The group also targeted people outside the Comcast Center in Center City last Tuesday. The suspects were dressed in all black and grabbed any valuables they could, CBS 3 reported, while one of the suspects held a gun. The group then fled the scene in a car.
"You have to be aware of your surroundings keep your head on a swivel," John Bollendorf, who was visiting Philadelphia with his wife over the weekend, told CBS 3. "If something looks wrong, it probably is wrong."
"I don’t think I would come into the city by myself," Heather Bollendorf added.
Additional details on the matter are expected Monday. Philadelphia police did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.
Philadelphia is currently facing skyrocketing homicides and carjackings. (iStock)
Philadelphia is facing skyrocketing homicides and carjackings this year. The city has recorded more homicides this year than the nation’s two largest cities - New York City and Los Angeles - with 521 homicides as of Dec. 6.
The district attorney came under fire last week for saying the city does not "have a crisis of crime" despite the hundreds of homicides and shootings.
PHILADELPHIA DA KRASNER SAYS CITY DOES NOT 'HAVE A CRISIS OF CRIME' DESPITE RECORD HOMICIDES
"We don’t have a crisis of lawlessness, we don’t have a crisis of crime, we don’t have a crisis of violence," Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner told reporters at a Monday press conference. "It’s important that we don’t let this become mushy and bleed into the notion that there is some kind of big spike in crime. There isn't. There is not a big spike in crime. … There is not a big spike in violent crime. Neither one of these things is true."
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner on Dec. 30, 2019. (Mark Makela/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA DA WALKS BACK COMMENTS SAYING CITY HAS NO CRIME CRISIS AFTER FORMER MAYOR CALLS HIM OUT
Krasner apologized for the remarks Monday, after backlash from Republicans and former Democratic Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter.
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"I failed, in not acknowledging that pain and suffering. A pain that disproportionately affects people of color and poor people," Krasner said.
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