Philadelphia police search for ‘serial robber’ targeting small pet store chain, possibly others across the city

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Philadelphia police are looking for an armed robber who they say has targeted the same business multiple times in the past few weeks.

Doggie Style Pets, a pet shop with 10 locations throughout the city, says three of its stores have been robbed since December 16.

Investigators believe it's been the same suspect every time.

Surveillance from a Christmas Eve robbery shows a man wearing a hood and mask walking into the pet store in Center City.

Police say he told the worker he was armed and demanded all the cash in the register.

“By Christmas Eve, we realized we had a serial robber who was targeting our stores,” said Howard Nelson, the owner and CEO of Doggie Style Pets.

Nelson believes the same suspect targeted three of his stores in the past few weeks.

The suspect first robbed the store on 21st and South streets on December 16, then the store on 18th and Passyunk on December 21, and finally the 17th and Spruce streets location on December 24.

“We did have cash in our cash registers, so he was clearly targeting cash,” said Nelson.

Each time, the store says the suspect would wait until closing time after customers had left. Nelson says the suspect has stolen thousands of dollars from his small business chain.

“We just don't know what the connection is to our company,” he said.

However, this company may not be the only victim.

“This is a safe place and I want people to feel that way when they come in here,” said Massimo Boni, the owner of Vita, a gelato shop also on 17th Street.

Boni says his shop was victim to an overnight break-in on December 23. He says he compared surveillance with Doggie Style Pets and believes it's the same suspect.

“Once they came into the space, headed straight for the gelateria, stole the cash out of the store and a laptop as well,” he said of the suspect.

Police are investigating the string of crimes and beefing up security around the stores. Meanwhile, Doggie Style Pets is asking its customers to help them out.

“We are asking all of our customers, to the extent they can, to pay with debit or credit cards. Even though it costs us more to do that, we'd rather have fewer cash transactions in our stores,” said Nelson.