GREENE COUNTY, Pa. — A Greene County man is in jail and accused of robbing the Circle K gas station earlier this week, and investigators are crediting the community with helping to identify the alleged suspect. He gained local notoriety on social media as the “pantyhose bandit.”
”The notable thing about the incident was he appeared to be wearing pantyhose over his face,” Cumberland Township Police Sgt. Eric Orr said.
A post by the Cumberland Township Police Department asking for the public’s help in identifying an alleged gas station robber earlier his week produced a tip that led them right to their suspect.
”We received another tip on our Facebook page informing us he was at an address in Fayette county, in Uniontown,” Orr said.
The man underneath the pantyhose, Kevin Elias, is in the Fayette County Prison.
Just after 12:01 a.m. Monday, police said Elias robbed the Circle K in Carmichaels, demanded money and took off.
”The clerk was under the impression he was armed. He had his right hand under his shirt as if he had a weapon and informed the clerk he would not get hurt if he complied,” Orr explained.
Elias got away with about $200.Investigators said there’s no doubt that social media and the community response helped crack this case.
”The community is always very helpful in helping us with these matters, but this particular post seemed to get share after share after share,” Orr said.
Elias was also wanted on an active warrant by state police in Uniontown for domestic violence charges from earlier this month.
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