Police Search for Suspect in Kingsessing Grocery Store Robbery

PHILADELPHIA- (WTXF) Southwest Detective Division say they are looking to identify and locate the suspects who robbed the Alta Gracia Grocery Store in Kingsessing.

The victim spokes with FOX 29.

"These are very dangerous individuals that need to be taken off the streets," said Southwest Detectives Lt. John Walker.

The two alleged robbers entered the Alta Gracia Grocery Store in Kingsessing with masks on and their guns out. they quickly went behind the counter and smashed the store owner in the head with a gun.

The store owner spoke with FOX 29 through an interpreter.

"They just came in. One of them went to the back, that was it. Took the money from the register and they hit him, yeah," the victim explained.

The 40-year-old owner, who asked us not to use his name, gave up the cash when he saw the guns, but when the robber grabbed a 30-inch machete stashed behind the counter for protection, everything changed.

The alleged robber struck the owner in the leg with the machete. a co-worker at the back of the store heard the commotion, got one look at this masked gunman headed his way and retreated to a corner, out of the gunman's sight.

Detectives now believe the two gun toting bandits are part of a heavily armed four man crew that also held up the Diaz Grocery Store a few blocks away in October. Police say they wore masks too and had distinctive tattoos on their hands. they escaped with $2,000 in cash.

Police believe this crew of armed robbers lives in that very same neighborhood where these stickups are occurring. They're worried the violence could escalate before they get caught. The victim in this latest robbery had several stitches removed today.