After fighting off a gunman inside his Northeast Philadelphia store, a victim of a string of robberies has found himself behind bars.
Tian Chang Lin was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials on July 13, officials say. That's just a few days after he fought off a gunman inside his store.
NBC Philadelphia told you about the plight of Lin and his family Wednesday after they endured a third hold up inside their store in as many months.
Lin's daughter Sharon said the family was living in fear after the series of robberies -- the most recent of which involved her mother on Saturday.
In broad daylight, the robbery suspect bursts into the Grace Dollar Store located along the 6900 block of Buselton Avenue, brandishes a gun and demands money. He's made off with $600 cash so far, police say.
"We’re still worrying are they going to come again. We can’t do anything about it," Sharon said.
The timing of Tian Lin's arrest was circumspect for some after Mayor Nutter announced last Friday Philadelphia Police would no longer report the names of victims of crimes to ICE.
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However, ICE officials say Lin was a "fugitive illegal alien" long before the robberies occurred. Lin became a fugitive after he failed to comply with a judge's order to leave the country for breaking immigration law.
That ruling came down while he was living in New York. He was later found in Philadelphia in April 2010 and subsequently arrested.
ICE official Mark Medvesky says Philadelphia Police played no role in the arrest and that the agency had no way of knowing Lin was a victim of a crime.
As for the robber is still on the loose. Anyone who may recognize the man is asked to call Philadelphia Police at 215.686.3153.
