Published: November 07, 2005 11:33 pm      

Suspect charged in city robberies

Two downtown businesses hit

JOHNSTOWN — A man was charged with two robberies just minutes apart in downtown Johnstown on Monday morning.

City police arrested 40-year-old Robert Anthony Brown of the city’s Solomon Homes and charged him with robberies at Novelty Nook, 222 Bedford St., and Subway Sandwiches & Salads, 406 Main St.

Brown, wearing a dark-blue winter jacket and camouflage pants, approached a Subway clerk at about 9:40 a.m. and asked her to make a turkey sub, Johnstown police said.

A criminal complaint filed by police said Brown then placed a yellow bag on the counter and asked the clerk to fill it with money from the register. The clerk saw the barrel of a gun inside the bag and handed over $173.85.

Police said Brown then tried to rob the Novelty Nook around 9:45 a.m.

George Mitchell, Novelty Nook owner, said the robber came into his store wearing a nylon mask and holding a yellow bag in his hand.

“I could see the form of a gun,” he said.

Mitchell said the robber repeatedly demanded cash. But there was no money in the store other than a dollar from a soda machine.

“I said, ‘I don’t have no money,’ and I thought he was joking at first,” Mitchell said. “I saw the gun in the bag, but I couldn’t make out what kind of gun.”

Mitchell said the robber then took off the nylon mask and said he was only joking, and that the gun was only a BB gun.

The robber then took time to look around the store and said he would return after getting money from a bank, Mitchell said.

“I was a little bit upset,” he said. “I asked my landlord if I could bring a shotgun into the store and he said to call the police.”

Brown was approached by an officer in an unmarked car and fled, police said.

Johnstown police Capt. Andrew Frear said Brown was found hiding under a white van in the Northwest Bank parking lot on Franklin Street.

Brown was charged with two counts of robbery and one count of attempted robbery.



Colleen Freyvogel can be reached at 533-5055 or cfreyvogel@tribdem.com.