Suspects sought in taxi stickups

Philadelphia police are looking for suspects behind a series of stickups of taxi drivers in the city's Frankford section.

Police said the same young men are thought to be responsible for two attempted robberies and a robbery that happened in late August.

In the first incident, a 39-year-old cabdriver was accosted after he picked up three young men at 16th and Sansom streets at about 11:25 a.m. and took them to 1500 Deal Street.

After the trio got out of the cab, they went to the driver-side window and one of the suspects pulled a handgun, while another tried to open the door, police said.

The victim reported hearing a gunshot as he drove away.

The next incident happened at about 2:10 a.m. on Aug. 24, when the three suspects tried to rob a 53-year-old female cabdriver who picked them up near 12th and Race streets and took them to the 1500 block of Deal Street.

On Deal Street, one man pointed a gun at her demanded money. The cabdriver pushed the gun away and the suspects fled, police said.

The most recent robbery happened Aug. 26, when a 50-year-old cabdriver went to pick up a passenger on the 4200 block of Orchard Street.

The driver noticed he had been called to an empty lot, where he was approached from behind by two men. One of the suspects hit him in the head with a handgun and demanded money, making off with a wallet containing $100.

The suspects have been described as black males ranging in age from 14 or 15 to about 20.

In the first incident, one was carrying a yellow backpack and another wearing a black or gray T-shirt. In the second, the suspects' shirts were black, rust-colored and tan, and one was wearing a multicolored backpack. In the last robbery, one wore a black T-shirt and green camouflage shorts, and the other wore a burgundy T-shirt.

Anyone with information can call 215-686-8477 (TIPS) or send a text message to 773847 (PPDTIP).