Police searching for carjacking suspect who posed as a solar power solicitor in Montgomery County
PHILADELPHIA - Police say a man is injured after a person, posing as a solicitor for a solar power company, carjacked and kidnapped him at gunpoint in Lower Merion Township on Monday.
At around 5 p.m., police responded to the 200 block of Wilshire Road in the Penn Wynne section of Lower Merion Township for reports of an armed carjacking.
Police say the victim encountered a suspect in his driveway when he arrived home in his vehicle.
The suspect posed as a solicitor for solar power and made conversation with the victim before the victim declined the services and began walking away. Police say as the victim was walking away, the suspect presented a gun and accosted him, attempting to force him inside the home.
After the suspect was unsuccessful in getting the victim inside, police say he forced the victim into his own car and directed him to drive to multiple banks to withdraw money from several ATMs before driving into Philadelphia.
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As they were traveling north on the 1800 block of North Broad Street, authorities say the victim was able to escape from his moving vehicle.
Subsequently, the victim’s car struck a parked car and became disabled on the sidewalk. Police say the suspect exited the vehicle through the passenger side and was seen fleeing on foot towards Norris Street.
Police say a man is injured after a person, posing as a solicitor for a solar power company, carjacked him at gunpoint in Lower Merion Township on Monday.
The victim was treated at a nearby hospital for moderate injuries and authorities say he is expected to be okay.
Police describe the suspect as a Black man, between the ages of 20-30, approximately 6’1", with an athletic build. The suspect obscured his face with a surgical mask, but police say he was wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt, a dark jacket with writing over the left side of the chest, dark pants, and dark-colored shoes. He was also reportedly wearing a lanyard with an ID card pouch when he first approached the victim.
Investigators say the suspect is considered armed and dangerous, and they are urging anyone with information to contact the Lower Merion Police Investigations Unit.