Jun 13, 2009 11:48 pm US/Eastern
Serial Robbery Suspect Jumps From Platt Bridge
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
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Bensalem Police officials said this suspect is wanted for robbing a bank and stealing a donation jar intended for Alex's Lemonade Stand.
CBS
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Bensalem Township police are asking for the public's assistance in identifying a suspect wanted for multiple robberies.
CBS
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Bensalem Township police are asking for the public's assistance in identifying a suspect wanted for multiple robberies. (pictured wearing a white T-shirt with "AMERICA" printed in red on the front.)
CBS
Philadelphia police have reported that a suspect wanted for multiple robberies in the Bensalem area has died following a chase and standoff on the Platt Bridge.
Early Saturday morning, Philadelphia police located the suspect, Michael Robert Dixon, 29, driving a stolen vehicle. After attempting to stop the vehicle, Dixon led police on a chase that ended with the suspect stopped on the Platt Bridge over the Schuylkill River.
After several hours of negotiations, Dixon jumped off the bridge to his death just before 9 a.m. It was not immediately known if he jumped to escape police or injure himself.
"I believe that he felt that he was going to jail and that was an option his didn't want to exercise," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Joseph Sullivan.
The Platt Bridge was shut down for four hours early Saturday morning during the standoff and investigation.
"He exited the vehicle and ran to the side of the bridge and climbed over the railing and stated something to the effect that 'I have nothing more to live for, they're looking for me,'" said Sullivan.
Bensalem Township Police were originally asking for the public's assistance in locating a suspect wanted for multiple robberies, including the alleged theft of a donation jar intended for Alex's Lemonade Stand.
On Thursday, the Sovereign Bank located at 1425 Street Road was robbed by a white male believed to be in his mid to late 20s. His image was captured on bank surveillance footage.
According to police, Dixon handed the teller a note claiming he had a gun and demanded cash.
Two days prior to Thursday's bank robbery, investigators believe Dixon was captured on surveillance footage robbing a Rita's Water Ice on Street Road.
While robbing the store of approximately $150, police say Dixon also stole an 'Alex's Water Ice' donation jar that contained nearly $75 in donations.
"He's not on the high end of the food chain for sure, being a criminal robber puts him on the bottom half of the food chain, stealing an Alex's Lemonade jar puts him on the bottom of the bottom, somewhere under my shoe," Bensalem Public Safety Director Fred Harran said.
Harran said Dixon was also wanted for a carjacking in New Jersey and is a "person of interest" in at least two other robberies in the Bensalem area.
"They (the police) did a phenomenal job out there, it's just a shame that it didn't end the way we would hope," Sullivan said.
Investigations uncovered that Dixon had 27 prior arrests in New Jersey.
Investigations by the Bensalem Police, US Marshalls and the Philadelphia Police department are ongoing at this time.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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