Seven men who authorities said stole jewelry and cash from people at truck stops and rest areas in Washington, Westmoreland and Somerset counties were arrested Thursday as they traveled back into Westmoreland County, according to court papers.
The suspects were found with more than $21,000, jewelry and other items, as well as CB radios that police believe were being used by the men to communicate with one another.
Six of the suspects are from Cincinnati: Robert Dennis Murphy, 70; Adam Rick Smith, 38; Robert Thomas Chandler, 44; Danny Williams, 48; John Henry Black, 38; and Darrell Marshall Noel III, 38. The seventh suspect, Wendell A. Compton, 54, is from Knoxville, Tenn.
Court papers detail how state police believe the group moved east through Pennsylvania on Tuesday afternoon.
• The first robbery was reported at 4:30 p.m. at the Welcome Center on Interstate 70 in Donegal, Washington County, a few miles over the border from Ohio. A man from Canada told investigators that he was approached by five men who took about $200 in U.S. dollars and $200 to $400 in Canadian cash from him, according to court papers.
The robbers fled in a white car.
• The group then hit the Flying J Travel Center in South Huntingdon off Interstate 70 around 5:20 p.m., police said.
A Tennessee man and two others from Pittsburgh told investigators that a group of men claimed that a trucker won a $50,000 lottery jackpot and was giving cash to people at the truck stop. The robbers offered to double the cash in the men’s wallets and the value of the rings on their fingers. They made off with $300 and 11 rings valued at more than $42,000 in a white car and gold minivan, according to court papers.
• The South Somerset Service Plaza was next. Troopers were called to the Pennsylvania Turnpike rest area at 6:15 p.m. and said members of the group again claimed the lottery ruse and offered to play a card game for cash, according to court papers.
They stole $1,000 from a trucker and ripped a necklace and ring, valued at $24,000, from a woman who had stopped at the plaza, police said.
A trooper who was unaware of the robberies confiscated a dark license plate cover from a gray Honda Pilot parked there. Troopers examined surveillance footage of the interaction with some of the robbers.
• State police in Harrisburg issued a “be on the lookout” warning to officers at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday after the group attempted to scam someone out of money at the Grantville Rest Area on Interstate 81 east of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, according to court papers. The suspects matched the description of those from the Tuesday robberies.
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Back in Westmoreland County, troopers stationed on the Pennsylvania Turnpike were keeping an eye out for a gold Dodge Caravan, a gray Honda Pilot and a white Kia Optima that all appeared to have CB antennas.
They were spotted just before 11 a.m. traveling west, one behind the other.
The minivan pulled off at the New Stanton Service Plaza. The Kia Optima was pulled over after exiting the turnpike in Hempfield. The Honda Pilot was stopped by North Huntingdon police on Route 30.
Trooper Forrest Allison said anyone who feels uncomfortable while being approached by several people in a manner similar to the suspects should try to make their way to a building or place where others are present or start making a lot of noise.
“Everybody wants to be helpful,” but they are under no obligation to do so, he said.
Police said there were maps, cellphones, CB radios and an odor of marijuana in all of the vehicles. The stolen necklace and rings were found in the minivan, according to court papers.
The suspects told authorities they weren’t aware of any thefts or robberies and gave varying stories about the reasons for their travel. They are all being held without bail at the Westmoreland County Prison on charges of conspiracy, robbery, corrupt organizations and related offenses in connection with the Flying J incident.
None of the suspects had attorneys listed in online court records. Preliminary hearings are set for May 1.
Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta by email at rsignorini@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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