LAWRENCE COUNTY, Pa. — Police say Richard Peluso attempted to rob a busy store in New Castle in the middle of the day.
Only Channel 11 was there to question him before he was taken to jail.
”Why did you try to rob the Dollar General?” said reporter Jillian Hartmann.
”I didn’t try to rob nothing,” said Peluso.
Police said just before 2 p.m. Peluso went to the Dollar General along Croton Avenue, bought cigarettes and then pulled out a gun.
”Our responding officers went to the scene, spoke with the teller there, who said the male came in, pointed a gun at her and then fled,” said Chief Robert Salem of the New Castle Police Department.
The clerk gave police a good description of the man, the car he was driving and surveillance video.
Shortly after, police were able to track him to a home along Fern Street.
It’s just a few minutes away from the Dollar General.
”We surrounded the house, put around a perimeter. While we were doing that, the suspect walked outside with a gun in his hand, pointed on up in the sky and said, ‘Boom, boom, boom,’ out loud three times,” said Salem.
The police chief said Peluso tried to get in his car to leave but officers quickly stopped him and arrested him.
Channel 11 asked police what Peluso was trying to steal.
”We are unsure if he was trying to get money and just got scared or what happened exactly,” said Salem.
Right now, New Castle police are investigating. Meanwhile, they thank the store clerk for helping them make an arrest.
”Getting a gun pointed at you is scary, but she gave us a good description and based off her description, we were able to find the vehicle, so she helped us,” said Salem.
Peluso is charged with attempted robbery, aggravated assault and terroristic threats.
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