Robbers shoot at safe during Philly Wendy’s theft

Aug 21, 2023

Robbers fed up that employees of a Roxborough neighborhood fast-food restaurant didn't know the combination to the safe fired shots at it, Philadelphia police said.

They wound up only making off with a few hundred dollars from the registers of the Wendy's at 5901 Ridge Avenue early Tuesday morning, police said.

The incident played out just after 1 a.m. when a driver pulled an SUV -- possibly a 2010 dark-colored Nissan Murano with dark tinted windows and a roof rack -- into the drive-thru and two gunmen got out, investigators said. The two men then entered through a rear door that was ajar.

Once inside, the armed robbers demanded the workers empty the registers, police said.

One of the robbers than went into the manager's office in an attempt to get the safe open, Officer Tanya Little, a Philadelphia Police spokesperson, said.

"The employees did not have the combination for the safe and were unable to open it," Little told NBC10. "The offenders shot into the safe in an unsuccessful attempt to open it."

At least four shots were fired, but no one was struck, police said.

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The robbers took the cash they did grab, ran out the back door and into the SUV, which drove off southbound on Ridge Avenue, police said.

The restaurant portion of the Wendy's was closed at the time of the robbery, but the drive-thru offers late-night munchies through 2 a.m. daily, according to the fast-food chain's website.

Police didn't know the ages of the robbers. One of them wore a black ski mask, white T-shirt, dark pants, dark boots and blue latex gloves, according to investigators. The other wore a gray hoodie pulled tight over his covered face, dark pants, blue gloves and boots.

Each robber carried what appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun during the heist, police said.

There was no description of the driver as that person never got out of the vehicle.

Police urged anyone with information to call the Northwest Detective Division at 215-686-3153 or 911. Tips can anonymously be shared by calling 215-686-TIPS or clicking on the tips page.

There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.