Philadelphia police have identified the suspect in a series of armed sex assaults and robberies in West Philadelphia.
Robert Johnson, 51, is wanted for two sexual assaults and two robberies in Philadelphia that all occurred in June and July, police said.
During the first incident on June 21, Johnson approached three people at a gas station on 48th Street and Girard Avenue in the early morning hours, police said. He allegedly pulled out a gun and forced the victims to drive to the Wawa store on 36th and Chestnut streets to get money from the ATM.
The victims told the Wawa employees to call police. Johnson fled in their vehicle before officers arrived however, according to investigators. Police later found the vehicle on 42nd Street and Parkside Avenue but Johnson was gone, investigators said.
On June 30 at 4 a.m., Johnson was driving a Dodge Durango and stopped an Uber driver on the 1000 block of Belmont Avenue, according to police. He then allegedly robbed the driver and two passengers at gunpoint. He also told the victims he was a police officer and was wearing a lanyard without a badge, investigators said.
On July 17 at 5:45 a.m., Johnson approached a woman who was at a bus stop on Belmont and Parkside avenues at Fairmount Park, police said. He then allegedly pulled out a gun and forced the woman into a more secluded part of Fairmount Park where he sexually assaulted her and robbed her of her Beats headphones and iPhone.
Finally, on July 19 around 4:20 a.m., Johnson returned to the same gas station on 48th Street and Girard Avenue, police said. He allegedly approached a woman who was pumping gas and pushed a gun into her side. He then forced the woman into her car, where another woman was already inside, according to investigators.
Johnson allegedly forced both women to drive to an unknown secluded area. He then forced both women to partially undress and then sexually assaulted them, according to investigators. Johnson took about $420 in cash from the women before fleeing, police said.
Police released surveillance video Monday of the moments before they say Johnson sexually assaulted the two women at the gas station.
"The fact that he's out there with a gun and accosting different people and taking them to different locations is scary at this point," Philadelphia Police Lt. John Walker said.
Police executed a search warrant at a home Johnson was currently staying at Wednesday night but did not find him. He is considered armed and dangerous. He is also listed on Pennsylvania's Megan's Law website as a "sexually violent predator."
He stands 6-foot-2 with brown eyes and black hair and weighs 190 pounds. He also has three tattoos, a picture of praying hands on the right side of his chest, the name "Robert" on his left forearm and the name "Wendy" on his right forearm.
Police also say he wears a wedding band and had a beard in some of the incidents and a grayish, five o'clock shadow in others.
If you see him, do not approach but call 911.
Photo Credit: Philadelphia Police
This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
