Greensburg, PA -- Pennsylvania State Police and Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli announce the arrest of seven suspects charged with multiple counts of robbery, theft, receiving stolen property and corrupt organization.

Investigators detailed a two-day crime spree where the suspects are accused of preying on victims at travel stations and parking lots to steal money and jewelry.

State Troopers were dispatched to the welcome center in Donegal Township, Washington County on April 18, 2023 for a report of a robbery.

The victim said he was approached by five men who took money out of his wallet and took off toward 70 eastbound in a white sedan.

The victim told troopers he had about $200 in US currency and $200-400 in Canadian currency stolen.

Within an hour, troopers were dispatched to a second robbery at the Flying J truck stop on Fitz Henry Road in South Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland County.

Three victims reported to police that they encountered several men in the parking lot.

One victim told police the alleged suspects forcibly removed nine rings off his hands, valued at approximately $40,000.

Another victim reported a ring and $150 in cash was stolen by the same men.

The men allegedly lured the victims to where the trucks were parked and told them a trucker won the lottery and was giving away money to all of the truckers before allegedly robbing them of the cash.  

The victims saw the suspects leave in a white sedan and gold minivan.

A trooper with the Somerset barracks responded to the Somerset Service Plaza on the evening of April 18, 2023 for a reported robbery.

The two victims told police they were approached by a man and were told they were gambling in the parking lot with money won from the lottery and he could win a lot of money if he played.

The victim withdrew $1,000 from the ATM inside the service plaza and walked over to where the men were allegedly playing a card game.

The victim told troopers the five men stole his cash and fled.

At the same service plaza in Somerset, a couple told police they were approached by a man who said someone was giving away money obtained from winning the lottery.  

The victims told police they saw the men gambling with cards.

After a commotion, the couple said the men stole a necklace and a ring off of them and ran away.

The victim estimated the total loss of jewelry to be about $24,000.

Another witness told police he was approached about the card game, and withdrew money but did not gamble and did not lose any money.

The following day, on April 19, 2023, State Police reported another attempted scam of a victim at the Grantville rest area off of I-81.

The description of the suspects matched the suspects believed to be involved in the Washington and Westmoreland incidents.

That same day, state police noticed the three vehicles matching the description spotted in the area of the turnpike in Donegal Township, Westmoreland County and traveling in a caravan pattern.

All vehicles were equipped with CB radios and Ohio registrations.

Troopers followed the vehicles, and eventually pulled them over near the New Stanton interchange and detained the occupants of two of the vehicles.

North Huntingdon Township Police spotted the third vehicle believed to be involved and conducted a traffic stop on Route 30 and took the occupants into custody.

Robert Murphy, Danny Williams, John Black, Adam Smith, Darrell Noel, Wendell Compton and Robert Chandler were all arrested and taken into custody.

All seven suspects had a large amount of cash on them. Upon executing a search warrant, police found 11 rings, a necklace, cell phones and a truck stop guides inside the vehicles. 

All seven suspects are being held in the Westmoreland County Prison without bail.

Disclaimer: To the extent that pending criminal matters are discussed, all such charges are merely accusations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.