Aug 22, 2018 3 min read

Washington police are telling residents to be aware of their surroundings and report suspicious activity after four armed robberies were reported in the Seventh Ward area since Aug. 9.

Three of the robberies occurred late at night or early in the morning. A fourth robbery happened about 5 p.m. Saturday in the Fairhill Manor area.

“We don’t know if they are all related,” said city police Detective Dan Rush, who is investigating the robberies. “The first three were similar, until the last one, which happened in daylight.”

In Saturday’s robbery, an elderly woman was in the driveway of her home when she was approached by two people claiming to need directions. One of them pulled a gun and stole her purse, which contained cash and other items.

Rush said the gunman was about 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tall with a full beard. His face was not covered. His accomplice was described as being very small and thin. A hood was pulled up and drawn, covering the person’s face up to the nose. Rush said the second robber could have been a female, because the victim had no verbal or physical contact with the accomplice. The detective said the robbers fled in a four-door white car, described as “sporty” by the victim. The car went in the direction of Washington High School stadium.

In the first three robberies, the suspects had their faces covered.

A man told police he was robbed in the 700 block of Allison Avenue when two men with their faces covered, one brandishing a knife, demanded his wallet.

A 17-year-old Canton Township boy was driving on Allison Avenue near Orchard Avenue when a man jumped out in front of his vehicle. The black man wore a black bandana on his face. He put the teen in a headlock, pressing a weapon against his head. Another man shined a flashlight inside the vehicle, stealing the boy’s iPhone and Tommy Hilfiger bag. The two then ran down Orchard.

Early Friday, a 19-year-old Washington woman was walking as she held her 18-month-old son in an alley behind a professional building in the 400 block of Jefferson Avenue when two men ran up behind her. One of the men pressed a gun to her back and demanded money. He also pointed a gun at her son.

She told the robbers she only had a diaper bag and no money. When a neighbor in the area opened a door, she was able to run away. The victim told police both men had something that was black and white covering their faces.

Rush said no vehicle was seen in the first three robberies, but he said one could have been parked in the area.

“Be aware of your surroundings,” Rush said. “Call 911 if you see a person or several people lurking around. If you see people walking around with their faces covered with a bandana, you should probably call 911.

“No one has been injured to date, but that is not to say it won’t happen,” the detective added. “They may come across someone who is armed.”

Anyone with information on any of the robberies is asked to call police at 724-223-4226. Private messages can also be left on the department’s Facebook page at City of Washington Police Department.