Morning Roundup: Police charge 2 teens in knifepoint robberies; vehicle hits, injures woman carrying child

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, Jan. 17:

Police charge 2 teens in knifepoint robberies

Two 15-year-old boys have been arrested in connection with two knifepoint robberies earlier this week at businesses on Pittsburgh’s South Side.

Anthony Bennett of Pittsburgh and Adrian Butera of Green Tree were charged as adults with robbery, conspiracy, theft and possessing instruments of a crime. They are being held without bail.

Pittsburgh police reviewed surveillance video in the investigation into the two incidents.

Authorities reported two males dressed in black hooded sweatshirts and masks threatened employees at the BP gas station at East Carson and South Tenth streets with a knife, police said. The suspects demanded cash and tobacco products.

That robbery was reported around 8:30 p.m. Monday. Moments later, police said the same suspects jumped over the counter at Glass Zone along East Carson Street. They brandished a knife and demanded cash and THC products, police said.

They fled after getting a small amount of cash. No one was hurt. Neither suspect had an attorney listed in online court records. Preliminary hearings are set for Wednesday.

Vehicle hits, injures woman carrying child

A woman was hurt after being hit by a vehicle Thursday afternoon, according to Pittsburgh police.

The woman was holding a child as they crossed the intersection of Centre and Moorewood avenues at about 12:30 p.m. Centre Avenue is the border between Bloomfield and Shadyside.

The child didn’t appear to be hurt, police said. The woman had minor injuries and she and the child were taken to a hospital by ambulance to be checked out.

The driver stayed at the scene. Police said they don’t anticipate filing charges.

Police charge 14-year-old in Munhall armed robbery, shooting

A 14-year-old boy was charged as a juvenile in an armed robbery and shooting in Munhall, Allegheny County Police said Thursday.

Police began investigating after the March 25 incident on Main Street. A 30-year-old woman reported she was approached at 11 a.m. by a male wearing a ski mask who demanded money. He shot her once in the leg and fled, police said.

She was taken to a hospital by ambulance in stable condition.

Police used witness interviews, surveillance video and additional evidence from the scene to identify the 14-year-old boy as the suspect. He was charged as a juvenile with aggravated assault and robbery after consultation with the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, police said.

Brentwood couple ordered to serve time, pay restitution for mortgage fraud

A Brentwood husband and wife were ordered by a federal judge this week to spend one day in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service followed by three years on supervised release in connection with their guilty pleas for making false statements on a loan application, according to prosecutors.

Brennan McNally and Angela McNally, both 43, were ordered to pay $26,000 in restitution to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Investigators said the couple lied about Angela McNally’s federal employment status and income in a residential mortgage application.

“The defendants engaged in an egregious scheme to misrepresent the spouse’s employment, falsely claiming she was a federal employee to take advantage of a HUD-insured mortgage program designed to assist hard-working individuals realize the American dream of home ownership,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General.

Police say woman stole Apple items from area Target stores

A woman is accused of stealing Apple products from Target stores in Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties, according to Trib news partner WTAE.

Angelita Rodriguez, 47, of Reading is facing multiple charges including dealing in proceeds of unlawful acts, retail theft and falsely impersonating a privately employed person. A criminal complaint filed by the state Attorney General’s Office indicates the thefts were reported at stores in Hempfield, North Huntingdon, Harmar and Ohio Township, the news outlet reported.

Authorities said Rodriguez would misrepresent herself as an Apple vendor and take Apple items from the stores. The alleged scheme unraveled last month when a loss prevention officer at the East Liberty store questioned her, leading to police reportedly finding stolen items, a screwdriver kit and crack cocaine in her vehicle.

Rodriguez is already being held at the Allegheny County Jail on $3,000 in connection with a retail theft charge filed by Harmar Township police. She had not been arraigned on the new case.