'Make Yourself At Home Bandit': Suspect Wanted In Harmar Township Betting Parlor Robbery May Have Hid In The Establishment Overnight
HARMAR TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- The suspected wanted in the Harmar Township Betting Parlor robbery is possibly connected to 12 different robberies in seven different states, officials said.
Officials said Lloyd Rhodes is known as the "Make Yourself at Home Bandit" because he hides in the establishments until the morning. When employees arrive, he commits the robbery and flees the scene.
"They have 12 robberies where the individual probably hid in the establishment overnight and when they opened for business, he robbed them," Inspector Andrew Schurman, Allegheny County Police, said.
On Friday, investigators received a tip from someone who watched a television show and saw a wanted person segment, which featured Rhodes.
Using the information, Allegheny County Police detectives contacted the official in Denver responsible for the wanted person bulletin.
Denver police then said they are investigating similar robberies and have issued arrest warrants for Rhodes.
Most of his robberies have been in the Northwest, Midwest and southern states.
Rhodes is described as a 5-foot-5 black male who weighs 210 pounds.
He is 57 years old and strongly resembles the Harmar Township suspect.
Officials also said Rhodes was possibly seen in Marysville on Wednesday.
In the Harmar case, the suspected confronted a female employee as she arrived at work. He then stole cash and got away in the woman's SUV.
The victim's car was described by police as a dark grey 2005 Ford Escape with a Pa. Wildlife Conservation plate WR 23951 and a Slippery Rock sticker in the rear window.
"To date, we have not found that vehicle, which is remarkable since it's a bit older, and we've had people out looking for it," Schurman said.