Video Leads Police To Connellsville Robbery Suspects
CONNELLSVILLE (KDKA) -- A violent robbery in Fayette County was caught on tape.
Police say the surveillance video helped them to get the suspects in custody within hours.
The video shows the suspect charging a customer into the back room just moments after walking into Reddy's A-Plus Sunoco on Route 119 in Connellsville.
"He immediately announced this was a robbery," Connellsville Police Chief James Capitos said. "He used some profanity in course of announcing this."
Police say the woman seen in the video is Edith Porterfield. She allegedly cased the store around 6:15 a.m. Saturday.
Minutes later, Francis Straughters, Jr., charged in dressed in black with a mask over his face.
Police say he immediately began beating a customer with a crescent wrench for no apparent reason.
The suspects got about $300 out of the register and a few packs of cigarettes before taking off.
But the victim, who the store owner describes as a loyal customer, was able to get a license plate number.
Police say the license plate number along with officers recognizing the suspects in the surveillance video led them to serve a search warrant at the suspects' home.
The suspects led police on a short chase, but ended when they pulled over just a few hundred feet from the police station.
"All they really did was save themselves a ride in a police car," Chief Capitos said.
The victim asked not to be identified, but has two black eyes and quite a few stitches.
The suspects are each in the Fayette County Jail on $50,000 bond.
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