Feb 3, 2015 3 min read

Surveillance video and help from the community resulted in the arrest Tuesday morning of a Burgettstown man in connection with the armed robbery of a woman at bank’s automated teller machine.

Charles William Thomas, 25, of 126 Florence Ave., was arraigned before District Judge Robert Redlinger on four counts of robbery and one count of receiving stolen property and placed in Washington County Jail on $50,000 bond. He is accused of robbing a 42-year-old Burgettstown woman at knifepoint about 6:30 p.m. Friday at the PNC bank ATM, 1803 Main St., Burgettstown.

“We had alot of cooperation from local store owners and management as well as PNC security,” said McDonald police Offier Jordan Faust, who filed the charges against Thomas. “Everyone was helpful.”

An employee of the Kwik Fill station, about two blocks from the bank, told police Saturday that he was working the previous night, found a black, zippered, hooded shirt on the floor of the bathroom and tossed it in the garbage. The shirt was retrieved and a dark blue bandana was found wrapped up in the sleeve. There also was a long, red strand of hair on the shirt.

About four hours after the robbery, Thomas called Smith Township police to his girlfriend’s home to report that a teenager about his height had tried to assault and rob him outside her house. He gave a description of his alleged attacker that was similar to the robber in Burgettstown. When Faust talked to him, she noticed his girlfriend had long red hair.

A man, later identified as Thomas, is seen on Kwik Fill surveillance getting out of a vehicle, putting on a hooded shirt and entering the store’s bathroom. When he enters, there is a bulge in the jacket but it is gone when he leaves the restroom.

The employee found the items an hour later and disposed of them. Thomas then returns to the bathroom twice and Faust believes he realized he made a mistake by leaving the clothing. He also can be seen kicking the tires on his vehicle, apparently frustrated.

Faust said the robber as seen on the bank’s surveillance video is consistent with what Thomas was seen wearing in the store’s surveillance video. Thomas also had the same gait and mannerisms as the suspect, she added.

Faust believes that Thomas may have parked at his parents’ house, located not far from the bank and walked to the ATM.

Two store employees were able to identify Thomas. They also told police that it was unusual that he did not come into the store to talk to them.

Faust said Thomas confessed to the robbery, telling the officer that he needed the money for a drug debt.

“The whole department worked together on this,” Faust said. “I am glad we were able to get him off the street. I am sure the victim will sleep better tonight.”

While serving a search warrant at the home of Thomas’ parents at 126 Florence, about a pound of marijuana was found in the bedroom of his father. Randy Thomas, 50, was taken into custody and charged with possession of marijuana and paraphernalia. He also was arraigned before Redlinger and placed in jail on $5,000 bond.

Charles Thomas’ preliminary hearing is set for Wednesday in Central Court.