March 16, 2022
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Philadelphia police arrested Shaun Triplett, 18, in the aftermath of a carjacking incident on Tuesday, March 15. Triplett allegedly stole a minivan from a pizza delivery driver while the vehicle owner's girlfriend and their three children were still in the car.
An 18-year-old man faces multiple criminal charges stemming from a carjacking incident Tuesday night in North Philadelphia, where investigators say he stole a pizza delivery driver's minivan while his girlfriend and their three children were inside the vehicle.
Shaun Triplett, of the 2900 block of West Norris Street, was charged Wednesday afternoon with aggravated assault, robbery, kidnapping, a weapons charge and other related offenses following his arrest last night, police said.
The incident happened around 10:50 p.m. along the 2700 block of Warnock Street, just off Tioga Street and Rising Sun Avenue, police said.
The 36-year-old driver of a blue Chevrolet minivan was making his final pizza delivery of the night and got out of the car to take the food to the door of the customer. As he made the delivery, the driver noticed a man in a ski mask and all black clothing peer into the minivan and then open the driver's side door to get inside, police said.
As the delivery driver ran back to the minivan, Triplett allegedly locked the car doors and sped off with the driver's girlfriend and kids still in the car, according to investigators.
The girlfriend, a 35-year-old woman, began to struggle with Triplett and he allegedly threatened to kill her. The woman told authorities that she saw Triplett reach into his pocket and decided to jump from the moving vehicle, leaving the three children inside.
Shaun Triplett
Triplett allegedly got inside a white Chevrolet Impala with two other unidentified men. Authorities followed the vehicle with support from a police helicopter until it was abandoned at 300 Euclid St., and all three men fled the scene on foot.
Triplett was taken into police custody at 1800 N. 31st St. and a loaded gun was recovered.
The pizza delivery driver and his girlfriend were reunited with their three children, who were not harmed. The woman suffered an injury to her foot when she jumped from the vehicle.
Authorities did not immediately locate the other two men who were inside the white Chevrolet Impala.
The incident is the latest in a growing pattern of carjackings on Philadelphia streets, where these incidents have dramatically increased over the last two years. Philadelphia police continue to advise drivers to be aware of their surroundings and take precautions when leaving and returning to their vehicles.
