Rash of robberies in Oakland, East Liberty appear to be connected

PITTSBURGH — A rash of robberies in the city of Pittsburgh over two days appear to be connected, according to Pittsburgh Police.

The three crimes happened over two days - June 7 and June 8 - on Baum Boulevard, Forbes Avenue, and Penn Avenue. The locations are in the city’s Oakland and East Liberty neighborhoods but the addresses are all relatively close to each other.

On Friday just before 3 a.m., an employee was taking out the trash at Wendy’s on Baum Boulevard, when he says two suspects jumped out of bushes and tried to get into the fast food restaurant behind him. The staff were able to lock all the doors. The victim said one suspect was possibly armed with an AR-15-type pistol and that both males ran off.

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Then, just before 1 a.m. on June 8, a man armed with an AK-47 style rifle and a pillowcase, held up Layne’s Chicken Fingers in Oakland, telling everybody to hide in the kitchen. He was wearing a light red or pink hooded sweatshirt, black pants, black shoes with white soles, a tattered, black face mask and a bulletproof vest.

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It’s almost the same description as the suspect who robbed the DTLR apparel store on Penn Avenue in East Liberty later that evening. Police say he walked in with what looked like a long gun and demanded money. It turns out it was a BB gun. He was able to get away with cash.

>>> Police looking for man who robbed store with BB gun in East Liberty

A man who came to the store Monday with his granddaughters, found the doors locked.

“It’s just the way it is now. It’s sad to say but it is,” he tells Channel 11. “I was bringing my grandbaby to get her some shoes for her birthday, it’s a sad thing. It’s crazy, everybody’s got issues, it doesn’t make it right.”

At this time, no charges have been filed in any of the three attempted and armed robberies.

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