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State Police Worried About Growing Number Of Armed Robberies In Westmoreland Co.

GREENSBURG (KDKA) -- Westmoreland County is seeing more than its normal share of armed robberies so far this year.

There was another one on Monday and state police say they are growing more concerned.

It was 1:15 a.m. at the GetGo off of Route 819 in East Huntingdon when a dark Chevy Z71 pickup truck pulled into parking lot.

"When he pulls into the parking lot, he backs his vehicle in so he has a quicker getaway," says Trooper Steve Limani, of Pennsylvania State Police. "As you can see when he backs in, there's no license plate on his vehicle."

The suspect is described as a white male between five-feet to five-feet-two-inches tall with a slender build. The clerk doesn't notice the masked man at first.

"He goes and confronts the clerk at the end of the counter, brandishing the handgun," said Trooper Limani.

The robber says "hands up" and demands money. The terrified clerk complies and hands over the cash. The robber then takes off.

"You see he gets in his vehicle and subsequently flees towards 119," Trooper Limani says.

No one was hurt, but state police are concerned because this is just the latest in a growing list of armed robbery incidents in Westmoreland County.

"We've had approximately one armed robbery every week so far to start 2014," Trooper Limani said. "We're headed for an alarming 52 armed robberies if we continue at this pace."

That's just the State Police Barracks in Greensburg.

Municipal police departments are dealing with same thing, and the motive is almost always the same.

"Ninty-nine percent of our robberies are committed for drugs," Trooper Limani said.

RELATED LINKS:
More Westmoreland County News
More Reports by Ross Guidotti

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