Staff writer

kwarco@observer-reporter.com

The man charged in the April 15 robbery of a Washington jewelry store is also a suspect in at least 11 robberies in Pittsburgh.

Courtney LaPrade, 38, who has been known to frequent both Pittsburgh and Washington, was arraigned Thursday on charges of robbery, simple assault, criminal mischief and two counts of theft. He was brought to the office of District Judge J. Albert Spence from Allegheny County Jail, where he is being held on $300,000 bond.

He is accused of robbing C&J Jewelers, 225 Jefferson Ave., and stealing $2,500 in rings after spraying the chemical Mace in the eyes of store co-owner Jodi Gerace. LaPrade is also accused of stealing the getaway vehicle from a resident of Jollick Manor just before the robbery.

Police give the following account:

LaPrade had been at the Jollick Manor home of Joscelyn Patechko and Chastity Johnson, who is the mother of his children, before the robbery. He left the home, and Patechko discovered her 1996 Ford Expedition and the keys to the vehicle were gone, while Johnson said her cell phone was missing.

He then apparently went to the jewelry store. Gerace buzzed him into the store. Once inside, LaPrade said he wanted to purchase a ring and asked to see some.

LaPrade surprised Gerace by spraying her with Mace. He then smashed two display cases and stole the rings.

On April 16, Johnson and Patechko went to a Pittsburgh neighborhood LaPrade was known to frequent and found the vehicle. Johnson called her cell phone, and an unknown person brought the keys to the vehicle out to the women.

City police Lt. Dan Stanek said Patechko found some items in the vehicle, including broken glass, that tied LaPrade to the robbery.

Stanek obtained arrest warrants for LaPrade. East Washington police Chief Robert Redlinger was watching television and saw the reports of the Pittsburgh robberies. Realizing the description was similar to the Washington robbery, he called Stanek, who called Pittsburgh police.

LaPrade was picked up in Pittsburgh's Hill District.

"They were able to link him to 11 robberies," Stanek said of Pittsburgh police.

Sgt. Lavonnie Bickerstaff of the Pittsburgh police major crimes unit said LaPrade robbed 11 businesses in Oakland, Bloomfield, Lawrenceville and Downtown. He is also suspected of robbing two taxi drivers Downtown.

"There were three stores, but most were women's clothing stores," Bickerstaff said Thursday. "He'd go in, engage employees in conversation. Sometimes he'd ask for a job application. Sometimes he'd indicate he was looking for clothes for his wife.

"He'd get them feeling comfortable and then hit them with the robbery," Bickerstaff said, adding that LaPrade was armed with a silver handgun.

Stanek said LaPrade admitted his involvement.

Spence set an additional $10,000 bond on LaPrade. He was returned to Allegheny County, where he faced preliminary hearings on the robbery charges Thursday afternoon.

His preliminary hearing is set for May 19 before Spence.

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