Man, 56, targeted elderly women
Chances are if you were at a supermarket in North, Northeast or South Philadelphia in the past few months, you might have seen Clifton “Sonny” Wright milling about outside.
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Chances are if you were at a supermarket in North, Northeast or South Philadelphia in the past few months, you might have seen Clifton "Sonny" Wright milling about outside.
If you were unlucky, he might have ambled over and offered to help you with your bags.
Then he probably would have robbed you, according to police.
Wright, 56, was arrested on Monday after investigators linked him to eight strong-arm robberies that occurred outside supermarkets across the city from Sept. 6 to Nov. 8.
His victims were all women, seven of whom ranged in age from 80 to 92.
"Obviously, he's someone who relished picking on weak individuals who couldn't defend themselves," said police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore. "It's good to have him off the streets."
Vanore said Wright was comfortable hanging out in shopping centers and took advantage of his graying, balding, paunchy appearance.
"He preyed on people's perceptions of what a criminal would look like," Vanore noted.
In all, he preyed on 10 women. The rundown of dates, locations and victims:
Sept. 5 — 7300 Cresheim Road — two 84-year-old women
Oct. 16 — 424 Oregon Avenue — 80-year-old woman
Oct. 20 — 101 E. Olney Avenue - two women, 84 & 92
Oct. 20 — 6500 Wissahickon Avenue — 65-year-old woman
Oct. 23 — 800 Cottman Avenue — 53-year-old woman
Oct. 29 — 8210 Elbreron Avenue — 80-year-old woman
Nov. 6 -- 800 Cottman Avenue — 40-year-old woman
Nov. 8 — 2101 Bleigh Street — 88-year-old woman