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200 Smartphones, iPads Stolen From Waterfront Sprint Store

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HOMESTEAD (KDKA) -- Police are looking for three suspects following an armed robbery at the Sprint store at The Waterfront on Friday morning, accused of zip-tying the employees and stealing hundreds of smartphones.

The robbery happened after 10 a.m. in Homestead.

waterfront-robbery
(Photo Credit: Bob Allen/KDKA)

According to police, one man entered the store first and ordered the clerks to lock the doors. The suspect went to a back door and let in the second suspect.

The men gave the employees specific orders, then made off with more than 200 electronic devices, including iPhone 8s, Samsung 8s and iPads.

"'Get down on the floor. How do you lock the door? Where's the goods?' When they were told the safe, they opened the safe, and then they proceeded to zip tie the clerks, and they loaded up bags with phones," said Homestead Police Chief Jeff DeSimone.

The suspects fled to a waiting getaway vehicle with a driver, police said. The car, a Dodge Magnum, took off, going east.

Sprint released this statement about the incident:

"The safety and security of our employees and customers in our stores is our top priority, so we're grateful that no one was harmed during this incident. We will work with local law enforcement into the investigation."

Officials with Sprint say the stolen smartphones will likely be sold on the street. However, the purchaser will be unable to activate them, as the serial numbers on the devices are reported to the government. They are then reported to all carriers as "Do Not Activate."

One suspect is described as a black man in his early 20s. He had a scruffy beard. He had a medium build and was approximately 5-feet-7-inches or 5-feet-8-inches tall. He was wearing black pants and red Jordan shoes.

The second suspect is described as a black man in his late 20s to early 30s with a medium-to-dark skin tone and a medium-to-heavy build. He was wearing red sweatpants, a black sweatshirt and blue Jordan shoes.

Anyone with information on the suspects is asked to called Homestead Police or Allegheny County Police at (412) 473-3000.

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