May 18, 2016 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – A Carmichaels man who went on a crime spree in January, robbing a beer distributor and an elderly couple in their home and also stealing money from a local grocery store, pleaded guilty last week before Greene County Judge Lou Dayich.

Clarence O. Lancaster, 28, of 63 Route 21 Estates, was sentenced to 27 months to 10 years in prison for stealing money from Brodak’s Shop’n Save Jan. 11, robbing an elderly couple in their Cumberland Township home Jan. 18 and robbing Carmichaels Beer Distributor Jan. 21.

Lancaster pleaded guilty May 11, two days before he was scheduled to go to trial. He pleaded to all charges except a charge of burglary connected with the theft of money from the grocery store, which was withdrawn by prosecutors.

As part of the plea agreement, Lancaster was given credit for time served from Jan. 30. He also was ordered to pay restitution: $450 to Brodak’s Shop’n Save; $60 to Jerome and Margaret Vinisky; and $269 to the beer distributor.

Police said Lancaster entered Brodak’s store between 6 and 7 a.m., before the store opened, and took money from an open safe in the customer service area. A clerk opened the safe for the start of the day and left to take something to the office when Lancaster entered and stole the cash.

A surveillance video showed a man wearing a reflective jacket enter the front doors in a manner, store employees said, only someone who worked there would know how to do. Lancaster worked at the grocery store for about two months in late 2015.

The second crime occurred a week later when Lancaster, wearing a handkerchief over his face and what was described as a jacket with yellow reflective stripes, entered the Vinisky’s Route 21 Estates home, took $60 from a TV stand and fled.

The couple was home at the time. Margaret Vinisky told police Lancaster knocked at the door and she let him in believing he might be a utility worker. He mumbled something inaudibly, took the money from the TV stand near where Jerome Vinisky was sitting and ran from the house.

The third crime occurred when Lancaster, wearing a reflective jacket pulled over his head, went into the beer distributor at 558 S. Eighty Eight Road shortly before 7 p.m. and walked directly to the counter.

The robber took about $200 from a black money tray under the counter and pushed a clerk away when she confronted him. He then jumped over the counter and left the store, dropping two bundles of money on the ground as he ran.

The clerk told police she believed the man was Lancaster. Police went to his house where his girlfriend gave them permission to search the residence. Police said they found a reflective jacket and black tennis shoes the clerk described the robber as wearing. The patterns on the shoes matched footprints found at the robbery scene, police said.