Police departments in Allegheny County seek laundry room coin-box bandit

Tony LaRussa
Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019 4:34 p.m. | Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019 4:34 p.m.

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ROSS TOWNSHIP POLICE

Police are seeking the public’s help indentfying the man in this photo taken July 23,2019 during the theft of money from laundry room coin boxes in Ross, Wilkins and Scott townships and the City of Pittsburgh.

ROSS TOWNSHIP POLICE

Police are seeking the public’s help identifying the driver of the truck in this photo taken July 23, 2019 in Pittsburgh. The truck is believed to have been driven by a man involved in a spate of laundry room coin box thefts on July 23, 2019 in Ross, Wilkins and Scott townships as well as the the City of Pittsburgh.

Police in four Western Pennsylvania departments are seeking the public’s help identifying suspects wanted for breaking into laundry room coin boxes last month.

The thefts occurred on the night of July 23 in Ross, Scott and Wilkins townships and Pittsburgh, according to Ross police.

“Laundry rooms were broken into at various complexes and pay laundry machines were opened by force,” said Ross Det. Brian Kohlhepp. “We believe that it is likely the same actors who broke into and stole funds from all of the machines.”

Investigators have released a video clip showing a man using a sledgehammer to break into a coin box in Ross. A photo of a second suspect and a truck he is believed to have been driving during one of the thefts in Pittsburgh also was released.

Investigators did not say how much money was taken during each of the thefts.

Anyone with information about the suspects or the thefts is asked to call Ross police at 412-931-9070 or Allegheny County’s non-emergency dispatch number at 412-473-3056.