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Charleroi man is charged in repeat robbery

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CHARLEROI – A Charleroi man who served jail time for robbing a liquor store in the Mon Valley in 2004 was charged Monday for committing a similar crime at the same store.

Charleroi Regional police charged Richard Heinzelman, 48, with robbery and theft over accusations he stole an undisclosed amount of cash from a Pennsylvania Wine and Spirits Store in Charleroi while threatening to strike an employee there with a bottle of alcohol he picked up from a counter about 3:30 p.m. Friday, police said.

Heinzelman was sentenced in Washington County Court to 2 to 4 years in prison for robbing the same store at 105 Third St. in November 2004 with another man, one of whom threatened to strike one of its clerks with a bottle of Jack Daniels.

Charleroi Regional police Chief Mike Maytas said Heinzelman, of 306 Crest Ave., walked into the store Friday pretending as if he was going to purchase a bottle of wine.

“He swung at the employee with a bottle, but didn’t hit him,” Maytas said.

An employee reportedly recognized Heinzelman from the 2004 robbery, police said.

He was remanded Monday to the Washington County jail on $250,000 bond set by District Judge Larry Hopkins.

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