This guy puts me to shame...
Phillies fan robs bank to pay for gear
By DAFNEY TALES
Philadelphia Daily News
talesd@phillynews.com 215-854-5084
Phillies fans are known for their diehard, drastic and often drunken support for their team.
Crazed Phanatics paint the team's logo on their lawns or imbibe the same amount of shots as the number on favorite player's jersey.
It doesn't matter. You take one for the team.
But one fan may have taken his devotion a bit too far when police say he robbed a bank and later allegedly funded a shopping spree for Phillies gear with the stolen cash.
About 10 a.m. yesterday, a man, who police did not identify, entered a PNC Bank on Welsh Road near Roosevelt Boulevard and slipped the teller a demand note.
Shortly after, the man, wearing a red and gray hat pulled down over his face and a beige hoodie, fled westbound on Welsh with an undisclosed amount of cash, said a detective from Northeast Detectives.
About 20 minutes later, cops found the suspect, who police have not identified, a few miles away coming out of the Modell's Sporting Goods store at the Roosevelt Mall, Cottman and Bustleton avenues.
Police did not confirm whether the man was wearing Phillies gear or not. But authorities said they later recovered cash in a nearby trash bin.
Witnesses positively identified the suspect and police carted the robber off, assuring that the ardent fan would miss watching the Phillies duke it out against the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 5.
He might miss the game, but at least he won't face federal charges, said Jerri Williams, the Philly FBI spokeswoman.
Local authorities charged him with robbery, theft and related offenses. *
