Mask-weariing robber meets resistance from victims

By JIM McKINNON
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Thursday, November 01, 2007

A money-hungry "werewolf" left frustrated this week when sandwich shop clerks refused to surrender cash during a robbery.

Though the clerks held their ground, Pittsburgh police Sgt. Lavonnie Bickerstaff advised victims against resisting holdups.

"We're always concerned about robberies because they can always escalate," Bickerstaff said.

Three holdups occurred within the past week at Subway sandwich shops.

The werewolf suspect wore a mask when he entered a Subway sandwich shop on the evening of Oct. 23. His hand, covered with a paper bag, was pointed at the cashier when he demanded money.

The clerk refused to open the cash drawer. A worker making sandwiches came to the counter and he, too, refused to give up any money.

Police said the robber argued with the two before removing his mask and exclaiming, "I can't believe you won't listen to a man with a mask and a gun."

With that, the man picked up the tip jar, threw it on the floor and stormed from the store.

The clerks described the robber as a dark-skinned black man in his mid-20s. He wore a jacket with gray, white and red colors and lettering, with khaki pants.

The clerks told police they did not see a gun.

Two days later, at another Subway, a robber faced more resistance.

Just after 5 p.m. Oct. 25 a black male, about 6-feet tall wearing black pants and a hoodie with red-and-white stripes, entered the store, produced a rusty looking revolver, and demanded money, police said.

However, the clerk was too nervous to comply and was unable to open the cash drawer.

The robber then approached a female patron who refused to surrender her purse. Another patron, though, gave up his wallet, complaining that it contained his identification and credit cards.

The robber took the wallet, containing $28, and promised to send the wallet in the mail to the victim.

A third incident occurred at 7:10 p.m. Tuesday at a Subway store. The suspect is described as a light-skinned black man of medium build wearing a white shirt and white pants.

The suspect entered the store armed with a silver-colored pistol, which he used to strike the cashier. The clerk, dazed and bleeding, was unable to open the cash register.

A lone patron went to aid the injured clerk, not knowing a robbery was in progress, police said.

The robber demanded the patron's wallet. The patron refused to give it up, but he did give the suspect cash.

The robber left the store and drove away in a burgundy Cutlass Supreme.

Investigators said the first two robberies may be related because the behavior of the suspect was similar in each case.

Jim McKinnon can be reached at jmckinnon(at)post-gazette.com. For more stories visit scrippsnews.com