Robbery, Shots Fired at America's Best Value Inn Under Investigation

Norristown Police are investigating another armed robbery that occurred on Friday, this time at America's Best Value Inn at 830 West Main St.

An officer on routine patrol in the 900 block of Rich Alley Friday night reported hearing three gunshots at approximately 9:09 p.m. in the area of Lafayette and Knox streets. Police responded to the area, but found no victims or witnesses and no evidence of a shooting.

At 9:23 p.m., officers responded to the America's Best Value Inn for a report of a robbery. The victims, three men who were staying in the hotel, told police they had hired a prostitute to meet them in their room. Immediately after the women arrived, three men entered the room and demanded money. One of the men was reportedly armed. The victims turned over $80.

The three robbers then left the room, warning the victims not to call police because they were illegal immigrants.

Video surveillance from the hotel shows the woman entering the victims' room followed a minute later by three black males, one wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, one wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and another in a black coat outside the door. The men entered the room, with one keeping watch at the door. The alleged robbers left the room approximately three minutes later and fled south on Knox Street. The woman left a minute later.

Searching the scene, officers located a bullet hole in a second-floor downspout and the ceiling of a second-floor walkway. Three 9mm shell casings were recovered from in front of a home in the 200 block of Knox Street. The shell casings and video surveillance were placed into evidence.

Police are investigating, but it is unclear if the robbery is related to an armed robbery earlier the same evening at Markley and Fornance streets. The description of two of the men involved in the hotel robbery match that of the earlier hold up.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Norristown Police Department at 610-270-0977.