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Fake Salesman Carjacks Montco Homeowner At Gunpoint, Police Say

Lower Merion police say a carjacker took a township resident hostage at gunpoint, and that the suspect is armed, dangerous, and still at large. 

The Lower Merion carjacking suspect

The Lower Merion carjacking suspect

Photo Credit: Facebook/Lower Merion Township Police

It started at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 20, the department said. The victim pulled into his driveway on the 200 block of Wiltshire Road in Penn Wynne section to find the suspect waiting in his driveway, police wrote. 

Posing as a salesman for a solar power company, the suspect approached the victim and "made conversation," but the victim said he was not interested and headed for the door, authorities continued. 

That's when police say the suspect took out a gun and "accosted the victim," attempting to force his way inside the home "without success." Then, investigators say the suspect ordered the victim back into his car and "directed him to drive to multiple local banks to withdraw money from ATMs."

At some point during the drive, the victim was told to go to Philadelphia, police said. When they reached the 1800 block of North Broad Street in the city, the victim ran out of the moving car, sustaining "moderate injuries" for which he was hospitalized, they added. 

His car crashed into a parked vehicle and "became disabled" on North Broad, officials said. The suspect was last seen fleeing on foot toward Norris Street, authorities noted. 

Detectives believe the carjacker was a black man with a "medium to light complexion," standing about 6-foot-1 with an "athletic build," between 20 and 30 years old. He wore a surgical mask, a dark sweatshirt, a dark jacket with a logo or wordmark on the left upper chest, dark pants, and dark shoes during the attack, police said.

He was also seen wearing a lanyard with an ID badge when he first approached the victim, they added. 

The suspect is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information is asked to call the Lower Merion Police Department at 610-649-1000. 

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