Knife-Wielding Carjacker Draws Police from Three Towns [UPDATED]

Police from Camden City and Collingswood are on the lookout for a man they say carjacked two vehicles and attempted to rob a woman at knifepoint this evening.

Their target is described as a bearded black male, 5 feet, 8 inches tall and around 250 pounds.

Initial reports also connected these incidents with a gas station robbery in Delran that occurred sometime after the second carjacking; as the investigation widens, that may or may not be accurate, Collingswood Police said later Wednesday evening.

Police are also not yet certain if the perpetrator in these incidents is the same man involved in the stabbing and robbery of a Gulf gas station attendant on Feb. 15, but early reports seem to indicate that he fits the description of that assailant.

The first incident occurred at 5:45 p.m., when a woman was approached by the man in the parking lot of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden City.

When the man allegedly demanded money at knifepoint, the woman fled and hopped a shuttle bus at the hospital. The driver of that bus called in the attack to police, and tracked her assailant as he walked down Ferry Avenue.

Both the driver and the female victim then watched as the same man reportedly carjacked a 60-year-old Pennsauken woman. The driver reported the license plate number of her vehicle to police, but then lost sight of it.

Shortly thereafter, Collingswood Police were notified of a carjacking on Pacific Avenue in Collingswood, in which a 20-year-old woman surrendered her vehicle to the same man at knifepoint.

While they were investigating that incident, said Collingswood Police Chief Richard Sarlo said, Collingswood police got a call that the vehicle taken at Pacific Avenue was involved in a gas station robbery in Delran.

Collingswood Police confirmed that all three female victims were physically unharmed in the respective incidents. 

Sarlo advised that drivers should always keep their cars locked while driving or stopped in traffic.

"If someone attempts to enter, put some distance between yourself and him or her," he said.

Sarlo also said that victims of such a crime should immediately report them to police.

"A lot of times in these cases, people will drive home before reporting," Sarlo said, giving their attacker more time to get away.

Police identified the make and model of the vehicle used in the Delran robbery as a silver 2004 GMC Envoy with Pennsylvania license plates HTY 6220. Anyone with any information on these incidents is asked to contact Collingswood Det. Sgt. Guy DeRitis at 856-854-2401 x102.

This story last was updated at 11 p.m. Feb. 20.

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