A series of robberies in Oakland and East Liberty appear to be linked – WPXI

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PITTSBURGH — A series of robberies in the city of Pittsburgh over two days appear to be related, according to Pittsburgh police.

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

Shortly before 3 a.m. Friday, an employee was taking out the trash at Wendy’s on Baum Boulevard when he says two suspects jumped out of the bushes and tried to enter the fast food restaurant behind him. The staff managed to lock all the doors. The victim said a suspect may have been armed with an AR-15-style handgun and the two men fled.

>>> Police investigate attempted armed robbery at Shadyside Wendy’s

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 everyone to hide in the kitchen. He wore a light red or pink hooded sweatshirt, black pants, black shoes with white soles, a tattered black mask, and a bulletproof vest.

>>> Armed man robs fast food restaurant near Pitt campus overnight, police say

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

>>> Police search 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.

“That’s how it is now. It’s sad to say, but it is,” he told Channel 11. “I was taking my grandbaby to buy him shoes for his birthday, it’s a sad thing. It’s crazy, everyone has problems, that doesn’t solve things.

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

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