June 10, 2025
Provided Image/Philadelphia Police
A man is wanted for impersonating an ICE agent and robbing a car repair shop in Northeast Philly on Sunday, police said. The suspect, who remains at large, zip-tied a woman and stole $1,000 in cash from the business.
A man impersonating an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent zip-tied a woman at a Mayfair car repair shop on Sunday before stealing $1,000 in cash and fleeing the Northeast Philly business, police said. Authorities are still searching for the suspect.
The robbery happened shortly after 2 p.m. on the 6400 block of Harbison Avenue, right next to the headquarters of the police department's 15th District. The suspect wore a tactical vest with the words "Security Enforcement Agent" and a black hat with an American flag, police said.
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Police Capt. Jack Ryan told 6ABC the suspect identified himself to employees of the repair shop as an ICE agent.
"He yelled 'immigration,'" Ryan said. "Some of the employees promptly left the business. He zip-tied the female who was present behind the counter."
After stealing the cash, the suspect fled the repair shop in a white van with red reflector stripes along either side, police said. The woman who was zip-tied told FOX29 she suffered minor bruises during the robbery. She said she was tied up for about two hours before co-workers were able to help her and notify police next door.
The van fled the repair shop heading northbound on Harbison Avenue toward Roosevelt Boulevard, police said.
Surveillance images from the business show the suspect wearing sunglasses during the robbery. Police said he also wore latex gloves and dark green cargo pants.
The robbery comes amid rising tensions over ICE activity in Philadelphia and immigration raids in communities across the United States. Protests against ICE detainments in Los Angeles erupted into prolonged standoffs with authorities over the weekend, prompting President Donald Trump to deploy the National Guard to the city without consent from California Gov. Gavin Newsom. A march is planned in Philadelphia on Saturday as part of a nationwide series of protests against the Trump administration.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been growing reports of people impersonating ICE agents while carrying out crimes or harassing people, CNN reported. In February, two men wearing ICE shirts entered a business near Temple University's campus in North Philly while a third person filmed them. One Temple student was charged with an impersonation offense and a second student was suspended.
Police said anyone with information about the suspect in the Mayfair robbery can call Northeast Detectives at 215-685-3153 or submit an anonymous tip via the department's text line at 215-686-TIPS.
