The Rockledge Borough Police Department has reported a robbery at the Rita’s Water Ice at Huntingdon Pike and Church Road on Monday, June 24 around 9:30pm.
Chief John Gallagher said that Rockledge officers responded to a radio call after a suspect approached the shop’s front counter and displayed to employees a note demanding money.
The suspect also claimed to have a gun and threatened to shoot employees if they didn’t hand over the money. No gun or weapon of any kind was displayed, Gallagher said.
The suspect was given an undetermined amount of cash then walked west, crossing over Church Road, at which point they may have entered an unknown parked vehicle. The vehicle went south towards Township Line Road, but officers are unsure whether it turned or continued straight towards Abington and Cheltenham townships.
Rita’s video surveillance system, along with a description provided by an employee, revealed the suspect to be a black female in her 30s or 40s, 5’5″ tall, weighing 165-170 lbs and wearing a black or dark-colored hooded jacket with a zipper, black or dark-colored shirt, black or dark-colored baggy pants, and black and white sneakers.
“She had a surgical-style, black mask partially covering her face and black latex gloves completely covering her hands. She appeared to have a light complexion and her hair had a blondish look to it,” Gallagher said in a post.
Gallagher noted that the surrounding area was searched for the offender, accomplices, vehicles and any items of evidentiary value by Rockledge and Abington K9 teams.
On Tuesday, June 25, Rockledge officers conducted in-person foot patrols, property checks, and area checks to notify retail establishments about the robbery, particularly those businesses which are open late or 24 hours.
If you have any information about the incident, the department asks that you contact Det. Luke Lukashunas via phone at 215-379-8801 or by email at luke@rockledgepd.org.
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Photo: Rockledge PD