Warrant issued in Canton grocery store robbery
State police have obtained an arrest warrant for a Washington man suspected of robbing a Canton Township grocery store earlier this month, thanks to fingerprints left on the exit door.
Kenneth James Haskey Jr., 29, whose last known address was on Allison Avenue, is charged with robbery, aggravated assault and theft in the Jan. 16 robbery of Interstate Foodland, 1920 W. Chestnut St. Police obtained the warrant Monday from District Judge David Mark.
Trooper Sarah Teagarden said Haskey was identified by fingerprints, and his identity was confirmed through video surveillance.
A 16-year-old boy who was working as a cashier said a man waited in line at his station before asking for change for a dollar bill. The cashier opened the register drawer, and when he looked up the man, later identified as Haskey, pulled a knife from the sleeve of his jacket. Haskey allegedly told the young cashier “All right, now give me the rest of it.”
The teenager told police that he backed away from the register. Haskey allegedly reached across the station and grabbed money from the register drawer before running out the door.
Police said Haskey was not wearing gloves, nor did he have his face covered. On surveillance, police said Haskey was seen touching the metal part of the door with his left hand. A member of the state police forensic service unit was able to lift fingerprints from the door. The fingerprints were sent to the state police lab in Greensburg for analysis and then run for comparison. The fingerprints were a match to Haskey, police said. A photograph of him was then obtained, and police said it matched the suspect shown in video surveillance, as well as descriptions given by the cashier and witnesses.
Haskey is 5 feet, 5 inches tall, weighs about 150 pounds and has blue eyes and blond hair. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call state police at 724-223-5200.