2 Armed Men Rob Brinks Truck in Philadelphia, Escape With Up to $1.8 Million
Two men armed with assault rifles robbed a Brinks armored truck in Northeast Philadelphia on Tuesday morning and escaped with what police sources say could be as much as $1.8 million in cash, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.
Robbery at a Northeast Philadelphia Check-Cashing Stop
Officers responded to the 7200 block of Torresdale Avenue around 9:45 a.m. after receiving reports of a robbery in progress. Police sources said a blue car pulled into a nearby parking lot, and two masked suspects dressed in black jumped out and confronted the Brinks truck while it was making a stop at a check-cashing business.
Surveillance footage from the area shows one of the suspects appearing to point an assault-style rifle as both men ran from the car. The suspects made off with an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency, though a police source told CBS News Philadelphia the total taken could reach $1.8 million. No injuries were reported.
Getaway Car Found Abandoned Under I-95
Later Tuesday morning, investigators located an Acura believed to have been used in the robbery. The vehicle was found abandoned under Interstate 95 in the area of Front Street and Fairmount Avenue, several miles from the scene. The car is being processed for evidence as detectives work to identify the two suspects.
A Brinks spokesperson declined to comment on the incident, citing the safety of employees and others involved in ongoing law enforcement matters. Police asked anyone with information to contact them directly or submit a tip online.
A Dunkin' Employee Watched It Unfold
The robbery happened within sight of a nearby Dunkin' location, where employee Karina Torres said the scene unfolded in moments. "It is crazy just to see how it happened within seconds, within seconds," Torres said. "It's sad. When the cops came, that's when they said, 'We need to see the cameras.'"
Aerial footage from news helicopters showed Torresdale Avenue blocked off just south of Cottman Avenue, with the armored truck still on scene behind yellow caution tape and multiple police vehicles in the area.
Part of a Pattern of Armored Truck Robberies
Tuesday's heist is the latest in a series of armored truck robberies in the Philadelphia region. Last August, three men were arrested for holding up a Brinks driver near a Home Depot in Port Richmond. That October, two men were indicted on charges of robbing Brinks trucks in Elkins Park, Montgomery County, and on Castor Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia — just miles from Tuesday's scene.
Robberies of federally regulated financial transport carriers often draw federal law enforcement involvement. The FBI has jurisdiction over armored car robberies under federal statute, and prior Philadelphia-area Brinks cases have resulted in federal indictments.
Investigation Ongoing, Suspects at Large
As of Tuesday evening, no arrests had been made. Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage from multiple cameras in the area and processing evidence from the recovered Acura. Philadelphia police have not released physical descriptions of the suspects beyond their clothing.
In high-profile cases, investigators have increasingly relied on surveillance footage, forensic evidence, and witness accounts to build cases over time — as seen in recent cold case breakthroughs — though armed robbery investigations typically move faster given the availability of video evidence. Recent violent crimes across the country have underscored how quickly law enforcement must act when suspects remain at large. Police have not indicated whether additional Brinks stops in the area have been placed under heightened security.
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