Two arrested in Finleyville robbery
An attempted robbery at a Canonsburg automated teller machine Sunday led to the arrest of two men suspected of robbing a Finleyville convenience store hours earlier.
Joseph Daniel Madden, 27, of 25 Meyers Road, Washington, and Patrick Joseph O’Reilly, 25, of 109 Wylie Ave., Strabane, are each charged by Monongahela police with robbery, reckless endangerment, simple assault and conspiracy.
Monongahela police were called to Sunoco, 3580 Washington Road, for a report of an armed robbery. The robber is seen on surveillance entering the store and making a purchase before leaving the building. Police believe he went around the back of the building and came around to the front. He pauses briefly at the entrance, pulling out a gun. He then reportedly enters the store and points the gun at the clerk, demanding cash.
Monongahela police were searching the area around the store when they heard a bulletin of a description of an attempted robbery of a man at the PNC bank ATM on North Central Avenue. The description of the clothing worn by that robber exactly matched the description given by the Finleyville clerk. Canonsburg police also received a license plate from a getaway vehicle.
Monongahela police went to the Venetia address associated with the vehicle and learned it had been leased by O’Reilly and his girlfriend, who no longer lived there.
Canonsburg police told Monongahela police of several incidents earlier Sunday reportedly involving O’Reilly and Madden. Madden was spotted walking down South Central Avenue a short time later and taken into custody. O’Reilly came to the Canonsburg police station on his own a short time later.
O’Reilly reportedly admitted to Monongahela police he drove Madden to Finleyville. He told police Madden got cold feet during the first attempt to rob the store, but after they drove around, Madden reportedly decided he was ready to try again. After Madden allegedly robbed the store, the two went to a location on Airport Road in Union Township, where they threw out the gun and some clothing. The BB gun and other items were recovered by police. The two returned to Finleyville and allegedly purchased cocaine.
The two were arraigned before District Judge Jay Weller on the Monongahela charges and each placed in Washington County jail on $75,000 bond. They are scheduled for a June 13 preliminary hearing before District Judge James Ellis. Canonsburg police will charge Madden with robbery, simple assault, reckless endangerment and conspiracy. He will be arraigned before District Judge David Mark on those charges at a later date. It was not clear if O’Reilly also will be charged by Canonsburg police.