Police released surveillance footage after the man allegedly stole the woman’s phone and keys and tried to take her vehicle.
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Bystanders chased away a man accused of attacking and robbing a woman before trying to steal her vehicle on a Northeast Philadelphia street, according to police, who are seeking the public’s help identifying the suspect.
The attack happened at about 10 p.m. Oct. 12 on the 2900 block of Holme Avenue, the Philadelphia Police Department said. Investigators said the man approached the woman from behind, threw her to the ground and punched her several times. He then took her vehicle keys and cellphone before attempting to take her car. Police said people nearby intervened and chased him away before he could leave with the vehicle.
Philadelphia police released surveillance video and images of the suspect on Oct. 15 as detectives worked to identify him. The department classified the case as a robbery investigation in the 8th Police District and assigned it investigation number DC 26-08-050867. Police did not publicly identify the woman in the materials released about the case, and information about whether she required medical treatment was not provided.
The surveillance footage became a central part of the investigation because it captured the suspect before and during portions of the encounter. Police said the video has no audio. Authorities have asked anyone who recognizes the man to contact investigators rather than approach him. The department had not released a name for the suspect in its public notice.
A worker at a nearby pizza shop, identified by local news outlets only as Mel, said she saw the man in the area before the robbery. She told 6abc that he entered the shop and asked whether he could get something for a dollar. She said she gave him a soda after the request and that he later asked for a cigarette. NBC10 also reported that Mel noticed him lingering near businesses before the attack.
Mel told NBC10 that people in the area helped chase the man away after the woman was attacked. Her account adds detail to the police statement, which said bystanders prevented the suspect from taking the woman’s vehicle. Police have not released the identities of those who intervened or provided a detailed account of how the pursuit unfolded.
Several Philadelphia news outlets reported the attack after police released the surveillance images. Accounts from NBC10, 6abc, FOX 29 and KYW Newsradio were consistent on the central sequence described by police: the man approached the woman from behind, knocked her down, struck her, took her keys and phone and then tried to take her vehicle before witnesses chased him away.
Some details about the case remain unclear. Police have not publicly disclosed whether the woman and the suspect knew each other, and authorities have not announced a motive beyond the alleged robbery. The department also has not identified the suspect or announced criminal charges because no arrest has been reported in the case.
The Philadelphia Police Department asked anyone with information to contact the Northeast Detective Division at 215-686-3153 or 215-686-3154. Tips may also be submitted through the department’s tip line at 215-686-TIPS. A local report published Oct. 19 said police were still searching for the suspect, and no later arrest announcement was found in the reviewed reports as of Oct. 20.
Author note: Last updated October 20, 2026.