Police arrest South Philly woman in two knife robberies

A South Philadelphia woman who police say attacked and robbed employees at two businesses near her home earlier this week has been arrested.

Tara Silva, 34, of Emily Street near 20th, was arrested just a block from her home after officers on patrol spotted her about lunchtime yesterday, police said.

Just after noon Monday, police said, Silva pulled a knife on an employee of Grace Grocery on 19th Street near McKean, bound the employee with duct tape and beat the employee. She then fled with cash, cigarettes and the employee's cell phone, police said.

The next day, just after 8:15 a.m., Silva entered a Dollar Tree store on 23rd Street, threatened an employee with a knife, stole money from the cash register and then fled south, police said. Investigators were able to identify Silva as the alleged robber because they saw her on surveillance video lurking outside the dollar store 10 minutes before the store opened, police said.