Three arrested in Chestnut Hill Delphine Gallery robbery

Philadelphia Police have arrested three men in connection with last week’s robbery of Delphine Gallery in the city’s posh Chestnut Hill commercial district.

Police spokeswoman Jillian Russell said three men were apprehended around noon at the corner of Winston Rd and Mermaid Lane, near the Mermaid Inn.

It may have been a second robbery attempt on Delphine Gallery at 8435 Germantown Ave. that led to today’s arrest. Although police did not confirm this, Earth sales clerk Joedy Cook, said he had heard that Delphine was robbed again. “I asked her (A Delphine co-owner) if she was O.K. she said ‘yeah, they were robbed for a second time in a week’,” Cook said.

A co-owner of Delphine Gallery had her door locked and declined to talk about what had happened.

Catherine Fruehwald who works at Zipf’s Candy nearby said she had heard from others that it was some customers acting suspiciously that led to today’s arrests.

‘As far as I know what happened, there were three men who came in dressed in muslim garb, their faces were mostly covered. They went in and apparently were a little threatening and the women – there are two women that own the store, they were in there today – they felt threatened, they called the police right away. When they informed the men that they called the police [the men] ran for it.” Fruehwald said. It was certainly risky for the suspects to return to Chestnut Hill. “Even before they got here, [today] there’s been a greater police presence than I’ve ever seen here and I’ve been working here for four years.”

Feeling uneasy

For Fruehwald and other retailers the armed robbery last week has shaken their sense of security. “It is a little disconcerting just because we ware such a small business and someone coming in to take even just money from us would be a huge loss to our business and to our funds. It is a little scary. It was nice and reassuring to see the police around earlier today, but it is a little scary.” Fruehwald said.

In last Thursday’s robbery police said one man dressed as a woman robbed the gallery at gunpoint before fleeing. It’s not known what role the two other suspects arrested today may have had in the August 2 robbery.