Man Uses GPS to Track Robbers

Published: August 31, 2009, 12:43 pm

Victim uses GPS to track robbers

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Kaitlynn Riely

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Myron Knox, Jr.

Using a computer to tap into the GPS function of his cell phone, a man directed police to the location of the men he said robbed him early yesterday in Shadyside.

The victim, who was not identified by police, said two men approached him at about 1 a.m. near the intersection of Amberson Avenue and Amberson Place. He told police the men demanded his wallet and asked for his PIN number for his credit cards; one of the men also showed what appeared to be a handgun.

The man told police he turned over his wallet, his PIN number and his iPhone before running away toward Ellsworth Avenue. Officers arrived while he was contacting his bank to cancel his cards.

The man later used his computer to track the location of his iPhone to a Wal-Mart in North Versailles, where police said the suspects purchased items with his stolen credit card before moving on to an Eat'n Park restaurant on Route 30.

North Versailles police detained the suspects, who were in a gray 2004 Dodge van, at a gas station. Police said they recovered a black pellet gun, as well as stolen identification, credit cards and cash.

Police said they will charge Bryant Rather, 22, of West Mifflin, Brent Ray Potter, 22, of Swissvale, and Myron Knox, Jr., 22, of Homewood, with two counts each of access device fraud, conspiracy, receiving stolen property and possessing instruments of crime. Mr. Rather and Mr. Potter will also be charged with robbery.

LINK TO OTHER PHOTOS:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09242/994329-100.stm

RELATED STORY

Pittsburgh police track down, arrest robbery suspects

By The Tribune-Review
Saturday, August 29, 2009

Pittsburgh police say they used the GPS service on a stolen cellular telephone to track down and arrest a pair of robbery suspects.

The incident began at about 1 a.m. on Saturday morning when officers from the city's Zone 4 station responded to a report of an armed robbery in the 400 block of Amberson Avenue in Shadyside.

The victim, whose name was not released, told police that he was walking home when two men approached him and demanded his wallet. One of the robbers displayed a gun and asked him for the personal identification number for his bank card while the other robber took his wallet and cell phone out of his pockets.

While police were at the scene, the victim logged onto his computer and was able to identify the location of his stolen telephone.

The man was able to tell police that his credit cards had been used to buy items at the Wal-Mart in North Versailles and then at the Eat n Park restaurant along Lincoln Highway.

North Versailles police were contacted and given a description of the suspects and the weapon that was used in the robbery.

North Versailles police arrested the suspects in a 2004 Dodge Caravan in the parking lot at the BP gas station across from the Eat 'n Park.

Police confiscated a black pellet gun in the van along with the victim's identification and credit cards.

Bryant Rather, 22, of West Mifflin, and Brent Ray Potter, 22, of Swissvale were charged with robbery. Also arrested was Myron Knox Jr., 22, of Homewood, who was charged along with Rather and Potter with two counts each of access device fraud, criminal conspiracy, receiving stolen property and possessing instruments of crime.

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Man Uses GPS to Track Robbers

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