May 18, 2016 2 min read

BELLE VERNON – A Fayette County woman is in custody on charges she robbed convenience stores in Tarentum and Rostraver Township early April 2, and police were able to connect them because of the clothing the suspect was wearing that day.

District Judge Charles Christner issued a warrant Wednesday for the arrest of Maralee Sim, 31, of 30 Via Roma Drive, Smock, on charges of robbery, terroristic threats, receiving stolen property and simple assault in connection with an armed robbery at CoGo’s on Route 51 in Rostraver.

That 3:52 a.m. robbery took place nearly three hours after Sim allegedly robbed a clerk at a Marathon gas station in Tarentum, Rostraver police stated in the affidavit.

In both cases, the robber wore a gold Penguins hooded jacket, black gloves, black pants and a black scarf across her face. She also brandished a black semi-automatic weapon at both businesses, police said.

Sim confessed to Tarentum police she robbed the convenience store in Rostraver because she needed money to buy drugs in Connellsville.

The CoGo’s clerk told police she was at the store’s sink cleaning items and turned around to see a woman holding a handgun.

The armed woman demanded money and the clerk gave her $91, police said.

Sim is in Allegheny County jail on $100,000 bond on charges of robbery, terroristic threats, simple assault, theft, receiving stolen property and persons not to possess firearms in connection with the Tarentum robbery.

She is set to be arraigned on the Rostraver charges today before Christner.