Jun 28, 2016 2 min read

A Donora man suspected of robbing a North Charleroi pizza shop Monday night was arrested by Charleroi Regional police after he was found hiding in a bed in a room at a nearby personal care home.

Dean Allen Franks, 43, is accused of robbing Double M’s Pizza, 372 Pennsylvania Ave., with a BB gun about 8:45 p.m. When police arrived, employees of the shop pointed at Thorpe’s Personal Care Home across the street and told officers the robber may have run into the home.

Police were clearing the building when they found a man matching the description of the robber, later identified as Franks, pretending to be asleep in a bed in one of the rooms on the bottom floor. Employees of the home confirmed he was not a resident.

The pizza shop employee identified Franks as the robber. She told police Franks came in and demanded money. The employee thought he was joking until he allegedly brandished the weapon, telling her “I’m serious. Give me all the money.” She then yelled for the drivers, who were in the back of the business. Franks reportedly grabbed the tip jar and ran from the shop.

Police found a BB gun that looked like a 9mm handgun stashed in the room at the home where Franks pretended to sleep.

Franks told police he was taken to the shop by a man whom he identified. He said the driver and another passenger were aware he planned to rob the shop. Police obtained warrants for the two men on conspiracy charges.

Franks also was wanted on a warrant obtained by a police officer for UPMC-Hamot hospital in Erie on charges of theft and receiving stolen property for allegedly stealing a money bag containing $300 from a vending machine company employee. The vendor was filling machines in the hospital’s emergency room June 14. Franks was a patient in the emergency room, according to court documents.

Franks was arraigned before District Judge Gary Havelka on charges of robbery, conspiracy, criminal trespass, theft, terroristic threats and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was placed in Washington County jail on $20,000 bond on the Charleroi charges and is scheduled for a July 7 preliminary hearing before District Judge Larry Hopkins. He also was arraigned before Havelka on the Erie charges. Bond in that case is set at $10,000.