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No Arrests after Four Robberies in Pittston Area

PITTSTON — Police and the Luzerne County district attorney’s office are investigating a rash of armed robberies that happened over the last several ...

PITTSTON -- Police and the Luzerne County district attorney's office are investigating a rash of armed robberies that happened over the last several days in the Pittston area.

The most recent happened in West Pittston at a gas station.

Authorities believe at least some of the robberies in the Pittston area are connected, and now the Luzerne County district attorney's office has three detectives investigating.

The man police are looking for can be seen in surveillance video at Friendly's Food Mart on Wyoming Avenue in West Pittston pointing a gun at a clerk. He smacks the clerk with the gun several times.

"It's sickening," said Mike Kawalig of West Pittston.

"As long as they get away with it, they're going to keep on doing it," said Brian Martin of Harveys Lake.

It appears the robber has been getting away with it. Police believe the man who robbed Friendly's is the same person seen robbing Curry Donuts on North Main Street in Pittston Saturday.

"It's definitely scary, because we're family owned, operated, and somebody targeted us," said Curry Donuts employee Lindsey Delazzari.

There are other robberies in the Pittston area police are investigating that have similarities.

On Friday, police in Avoca released video of a man walking into the Golden Star Chinese restaurant on Main Street before robbing it.

The same day, a tobacco store was also robbed.

In all instances, the man has facial hair and showed the clerk a gun.

"How many places are getting robbed? And it's all local, for the past week!" said Roni Lynn of Duryea.

Now, this Curry Donuts is adding even more security cameras and also having two people always on the clock instead of one.

"Having that extra help is definitely key," said Delazzari.

"He's going to get caught. They all get caught," Lynn added.

Other businesses in the Pittston area are also making changes because of that rash of armed robberies.

Late Monday afternoon, the district attorney's office released a photo of Joseph Lombardo of West Pittston. The D.A.'s office said Lombardo is wanted on multiple counts of robbery.

One of the robbery victims in the Pittston area believes he is the one who's been pulling off the holdups.

Officers were trying to serve a warrant Monday on Lombardo on theft charges, but he got away and cops say he led them on a high-speed chase.

Lombardo was last seen in the area of 8th Street in Wyoming.

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