New Charges Filed Against Man Accused of Robbing Tiny Store

State police in Washington have filed robbery and theft charges against a Westland man also charged in the attempted robbery of the Tiny Store in Canonsburg earlier this month.

Michael McCarthy had previously been charged by Canonsburg police after his mother came to the station on Friday and identified him as the man captured on a surveillance video from the downtown Canonsburg shop.

McCarthy, 27, of 174 Dogwood St., was arraigned before district Judge David Mark last week and was remanded to the Washington County Jail on $10,000 bond.

He waived his right to a preliminary hearing before Mark Wednesday.

State police on Tuesday charged him in connection to a robbery May 9 at the Kwik-Fill Red Apple Mini Mark in Eighty Four.

A criminal complaint indicates McCarthy walked into the store, selected a snack cake and put it on the counter. After the clerk scanned the item and stated the price, the affidavit states that he then said, "Give me the money and you will not get hurt."

The clerk opened the cash register drawer, and the complaint indicates that McCarthy then grabbed $235 before fleeing the store with the cash and the snack cake.

The affidavit also indicates that McCarthy told police that he was dropped off near the store by his brother, and had waited until people had left the store because he didn't want anyone to get hurt. He also told police it was his first robbery.

"He related his brother picked him up near the 84 Lumber and pizza place and remembered eating the swiss roll in the car afterward," the complaint said.

In the Tiny Store incident, Canonsburg police said his McCarthy's mother, Denise Wester, came into the station Friday and told police that she believed the attempted robber was her son. According to court documents, she recognized her son's maroon hooded sweatshirt in surveillance footage of the attempted robber.

Canonsburg police had released a photo of the suspect earlier in the week, and said the department received a call about a robbery in progress on the West Pike Street shop at 6:41 p.m. Friday, but when officers arrived, the McCarthy had fled on foot.

A female clerk said McCarthy walked in and attempted to buy a soda, but had no money to pay for it. He then left the store only to re-enter a few minutes later to buy cigarettes–again with no money to pay for them.

The clerk told police he then left a third time, saying that he was going out to his car to retrieve money—but added that there was no vehicle parked outside.

“The male then entered a third time, (and) had his hands pulled into this shirt sleeves and demanded money,” according to a police report.

The clerk, who told police she did not see a weapon, initially refused, which made the suspect “more agitated,” police said.

That’s when another customer entered the store, and McCarthy grabbed the soda from the counter and fled the store.

The Tiny Store, which is equipped with video surveillance, was able to capture the man on camera. McCarthy's mother recognized his sweatshirt, which was spattered with white paint, and adorned with white lettering over the left breast.

Police in South Fayette told Canonsburg police that McCarthy is “likely the same individual” who robbed a 7-Eleven store there Saturday.