Crime & Safety

Forest Hills Rite-Aid Store Manager Chases Thief

Snowball-throwing juveniles, accidents, other items from the Forest Hills police blotter.

An arrest warrant might be issued for a suspect who led the store manager on a chase after a retail theft on Dec. 23 at the Rite-Aid at 2336 Ardmore Blvd.

According to a Forest Hills police report, the store manager told police he saw the suspect lurking in the battery aisle. The manager then saw the suspect stuff a number of batteries into his pockets.

When the suspect approached the counter, the manager confronted the suspect and a struggle ensued. The suspect dropped several batteries then ran outside the store with the manager in pursuit.

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Once in the parking lot, the manager, with the help of several bystanders, attempted to restrain the man, but he fled across Yost Boulevard into the Plaza Shopping Center. The manager jumped in his vehicle and followed the suspect as far as Avenue B, where he lost sight of the man.

The manager said the theft totaled $150 worth of merchandise. The store planned on providing security tapes to police in an attempt to identify the suspect.

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The suspect is described as a tall, light-skinned black male last seen wearing a tan coat and hoodie with a dark-colored tassel cap. Police believe they know the identity of the suspect and will issue an arrest warrant if his identity is confirmed.

Dec. 26

  • A resident of Avenue D called police at 8:47 p.m. after hearing an hit-and-run accident outside his home. The man saw damage to the front passenger side of his parked vehicle, which was pushed up against the curb because of the impact. Officers found pieces of what appeared to be a Honda in the roadway. The man was advised to contact his insurance company.
  • At 12:36 a.m., Forest Hills Volunteer Fire Department received a call about a possible vehicle fire at the intersection of Marion and Ogden avenues. Upon arrival, police determined the car was overheated because of the driver continually spinning the vehicle's wheels on the icy, snow-covered roadway.
  • Officers responded to the vicinity of Ardmore Boulevard and Braddock Road around midnight for a report of a red car and a blue van traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of Ardmore. The two vehicles were spotted near Taco Bell traveling eastbound. One officer stopped the red car in the Vincent's Pizza parking lot while the other officer stopped the blue van at the Electric Avenue off ramp. The drivers of the two vehicles appeared to be in control of their vehicles so both were advised by officers about the report.
  • Police received a call about a vehicle that was positioned sideways in the 600 block of Windsor Avenue, which was snow covered. Police advised the driver to remain in the vehicle until salt crews could treat the road. Officers closed the upper part of Windsor to prevent any traffic flow until crews arrived.

Dec. 25

  • A resident of the 100 block of Legrande Drive called to report the gas grill on his rear porch was on fire. When police arrived, the owner reported the fire had been extinguished but he had concerns about the propane tank. When firefighters arrived, they determined the fire was indeed out. The grill was moved to the rear yard.
  • Police received a call about a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot of the office building at 2020 Ardmore Blvd. around 1 a.m. The man in the car told police he was geocaching.
  • Police were called to a residence on Avenue F to handle a domestic incident between a woman's son and boyfriend.

Dec. 23

  • Police responded to the vicinity of Braddock and Glasgow roads at 12:54 p.m. for a report of a pit bull mix running loose with no collar. The area was checked with negative results. At 1:11 p.m., a resident called police to the 400 block of Braddock for the same dog. Police found the dog and brought it to the station.

Dec. 22

  • Forest Hills police were called to the scene of a one-car accident at 2:43 a.m. in the 3800 block of Greensburg Pike. Two officers found a yellow vehicle with heavy front-end damage to the passenger side and a severely damaged guard rail. The vehicle was parked at the curb, against the flow of traffic. After running the vehicle registration, police found the owner on Elizabeth Street in Chalfant. The woman told police she had called her husband after the accident and he had picked her up. Police detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage on her breath. Police informed the woman that charges would be filed via mail. The vehicle was towed from the scene.
  • Police responded to a complaint about youths throwing snowballs at passing vehicles on Ardmore Boulevard near Forest Hills Park at about 3:30 a.m. As officers arrived at the scene, their car was struck by multiple snowballs. The officers began a foot search for the suspects and one noticed footprints, then spotted two boys wearing dark clothing run across the baseball fields toward the wood line. That officer followed the suspects and footprints to the pool, toward Trinity Christian School, across Ridge Road to a house on Parise Drive. Police accused the two juvenile males at the residence of being the culprits and gave them a warning.
  • Police were called by a resident of Sherwood Road who reported that an uprooted tree in the front yard of a house in the 1000 block was precariously leaning over numerous utility wires. Duquesne Light was notified about the situation.

Dec. 21

  • A driverless vehicle ended up against a tree about 12 feet into the yard of a home in the 300 block of Barclay Avenue. Police responded and found the silver Jeep Patriot in gear with the engine running and the driver's door unlocked. An officer turned off the ignition and placed the vehicle in "park." As officers were speaking to the residents, a couple came running down the street. The man told police he had started the vehicle to warm it up and clean off the snow. Evidently, the Jeep moved slowly forward, crossed the intersection with Decatur Avenue and crashed into the tree. There was no property damage but there was minor front-end paint damage on the Jeep.

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