Thief uses sleight of hand to steal from local pizza shop, other businesses

ROSTRAVER, Pa. — The owner of a Westmoreland County pizza shop is using social media to warn other business owners about a thief who is using sleight of hand to steal money.

Surveillance video from Uncle Koko’s Pizzeria in Rostraver shows a man reading the menu.

“(He) said he was going to get a Gatorade, walks up, grabs it out of the cooler, puts it in his back pocket, walks over there and gives us a $50 bill,” said Kodey Suomela, owner of Uncle Koko’s.

Suomela said his cashier gave the man correct change. Next, on the video you can see the man shove money under his sweatshirt and return to the cashier.

“He said we short changed him by $20,” Suomela said.

The cashier handed over an additional $20, but once Suomela saw the video, he realized he was scammed. He posted the video to Facebook and has been contacted by nearby stores who said they’re been hit by the same man.

“We had numerous places contact me saying this same guy hit their business, but we are the only family-owned one,” he said.

Suomela said it’s hard enough getting a small business off the ground without thieves. He hopes this is a warning to others who may want to target his pizza shop.

“I think we are going to find out who he is, I really do,” he said.

Cox Media Group