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Man leaves 5 children home alone while he robs convenience store, police say

PITTSBURGH — A man suspected of robbing a convenience store in Pittsburgh’s Brookline neighborhood on Tuesday was arrested after police said he returned to the store a short time later wearing the same hat and shoes.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by Channel 11 News, Anthony Heard, 36, returned to CoGo’s while police were interviewing the cashier about the armed robbery.

The cashier told investigators that Heard was wearing the same tan boots and hat worn by the robber. The cashier also told police that he recognized Heard's voice from the robbery.

As police arrested Heard, he told them that he could not go to jail because his wife had been arrested the day before and his children were home alone.

Heard is the father of five children ages 1 to 12. Police said they found the children alone in Heard’s home a few blocks away from the convenience store. According to the criminal complaint, police said there were "open pill bottles, open beer cans and pieces of food throughout the house."

Heard denied robbing the store and told investigators that he was there to make a purchase. He also told police that he needed $150 to bail out his wife.

The children were taken to a relative's house.