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Woman jailed in 7 alleged robberies; Candy store clerk says he was terrified

PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh woman questioned after a candy store robbery earlier this week has been jailed on charges she robbed that business and six others -- sometimes while brandishing a handgun -- in 17 days.
 
Online court records don't list an attorney for 29-year-old Starnita Sloan, who was arrested Tuesday.
 
Police questioned her after Monday's robbery at Katie's Kandy in the city's Oakland section, only to charge her with that robbery and others since Jan. 18.
 
"It was terrifying, especially when someone's going to threaten you," said Ian Sowers, who said he encountered Sloan at Katie's Kandy.
 
Sowers said she walked in posing as a regular customer looking to make change from a $5 bill.

"I open the drawer up and get ready to give her change and she goes, 'Actually I'm going to need all the money in the register,'" said Sowers.   "She goes, 'I'm being serious.  I don't want to have to shoot you.'"

Sowers said he never saw a gun.

In all, police say Sloan robbed the candy store, a Rite Aid, a CVS drug store, a Subway sandwich shop, a Cricket Wireless store, a women's clothing store and a craft store. 
 
Police say Sloan showed a handgun during the Cricket and craft store robberies, which both occurred Jan. 27, and claimed to have a weapon during some others.

Sloan is being held on $50,000 bond.

"It's a big relief knowing that she won't be out there doing this to some other store and putting someone else through the stress," said Sowers.