The Tribune Democrat, Johnstown, PA

July 24, 2008

Robber hits CoGo’s

BY KECIA BAL

BENSCREEK — Wielding a black handgun and silver knife, a robber made off early Thursay with an undisclosed amount of cash from the CoGo’s along Franklin Street.

A clerk, who was alone in the store, said the perpetrator appeared to be female, and she entered the convenience store about 4:50 a.m., according to police.

He also told police that she flashed

the gun and knife and demanded cash from the register.

Officers have little physical description because the suspect was wearing a black ski mask, gray hooded sweatshirt and khaki pants, and only her left eye was visible.

One witness, who pulled into the store parking lot as the suspect left, saw her running north along Franklin Street into the Camoset Village trailer park area.

Police are awaiting surveillance tape from the store, Conemaugh Township police Sgt. Vince Zangaglia said. The owner is out of town and could not be reached for comment.

The CoGo’s has been held up at least twice before in the past several years.

It was robbed in April 2006 by an unidentified man who entered about

3 a.m. and held his left hand inside his jacket as though he had a weapon, a clerk told police.

Before that, David Von-Joseph of Johnstown was ordered to serve nine months to five years in a state prison for robbing the store in September 2004.