Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, April 30.
Police say Homewood man robbed same Family Dollar store 3 times
Pittsburgh police said they jailed a Homewood man who they say robbed a Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar dollar store three times in eight days, making his get-away each time on the same blue bicycle.
Police were dispatched at 6:53 p.m. April 19 for a robbery in progress at the Family Dollar store on Lincoln Avenue, according to a criminal complaint in the case.
A man later identified as Thomas Zykeith Williams, 24, was wearing all black clothing and a black mask when he stole about $650 at gunpoint and fled the scene on a blue bike, the complaint said. Several city cameras recorded images of Williams fleeing the scene.
On Saturday, at 6:19 p.m., police again were dispatched for a robbery in progress at the same Family Dollar store.
Williams had entered the store and waited in line behind customers, appearing to be ready to make a purchase, the complaint said. He then walked up, pulled out a gun wrapped in a cloth and pressed it to the cashier’s back, making off with $186, the report said.
Williams was captured on multiple city cameras before and after the robbery, riding the same blue bike — sometimes without a mask, showing his entire face, the complaint said.
At 1:22 p.m. Monday, police were in the area conducting surveillance when they responded for a third robbery at the Family Dollar store, according to the complaint.
An employee told Williams the store had no money at the time of the third robbery, the complaint said. After threatening to kill the cashier, Williams physically struggled with them, then he fled.
As Williams fled on his blue bike, the report said, he passed a Pittsburgh police detective, who saw that the man was carrying what appeared to be a Glock-style pistol in his back pocket.
Police said they went to Williams’ home, which is about a half-mile ride from the dollar store and detained him. Williams later admitted he robbed the store three times because he needed money.
Pittsburgh police charged him with three counts of robbery and two counts each of making terroristic threats and theft by unlawful taking.
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He was arraigned early Tuesday and taken to Allegheny County Jail after a judge denied him bail, court records show. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 13.
Williams’ attorney was not listed in court records.
Police seek help finding missing 11-year-old girl
Pittsburgh police detectives are asking for the public’s health in finding an 11-year-old girl who has been reported missing.
Alice Irankunga is considered at risk due to her young age, police said. She stands 5-foot-2, weighs about 100 pounds and has brown eyes and black hair.
Alice was last seen Monday at her home in the 100 block of Hazlett Street. She ran away from the home after a familial dispute.
Alice, who was wearing jeans, a purple shirt and a denim jacket on Monday, is known to spend time in Northview Heights and the area around Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School.
Anyone with information is asked to call 412-323-7141 or 911.
Justin Vellucci is a TribLive reporter covering crime and public safety in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. A longtime freelance journalist and former reporter for the Asbury Park (N.J.) Press, he worked as a general assignment reporter at the Trib from 2006 to 2009 and returned in 2022. He can be reached at jvellucci@triblive.com.