Police: Local businessman robbed of $10,000 outside check cashing store

Police say a local businessman was robbed of $10,000 outside a South Philly check cashing store.

It happened just after 1 p.m. Wednesday.

According to police, a gunman wearing a bulletproof vest and a badge approached a customer leaving the store, pointed a gun at him, robbed him, then took off.

"I thought the gun was fake so I chased after him to make sure I get back my money," the victim told FOX 29.

The victim, who asked not to be identified, went running after the gun-toting suspect down Fairhill Street around mid-block he yelled at the gunman.

"I tell him make sure you have to shoot me or I keep chasing you, then he shoot me. The gun is real. Then, I backed out," the victim said.

The victim hit the ground as the gunman took off. Police say he dropped a scanner or walkie talkie as he jumped into an older model Toyota 4Runner SUV and sped off with an accomplice.

The robbery victim is a local businessman who came to the checking cashing store to cash a $10,000 check to pay his employees before Thanksgiving. He says he has something special to be thankful for this year.

"Well, I thank goodness I still have my life, money's money. There's an opportunity here to make more money."