Pittsburgh neighborhood on alert after local business targeted by teens

By Marcie Cipriani

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    PITTSBURGH (WTAE) — Surveillance video from just after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, captured six juveniles walking into Macaron Bar on Penn Avenue in East Liberty and walking behind the counter and into the back.

Pittsburgh police have called this a trend in the area and local business owners are on alert.

“It scares you half to death,” said Tom West, owner of Trim Pittsburgh in East Liberty.

West was targeted by shoplifters in December. He was not confronted, but he feels for the employee seen on video at Macaron Bar.

“I can’t even imagine being her, you’re sitting there working and the next thing you know you’re surrounded by all these people,” West said. “You don’t know if they have weapons, you don’t know what they’re after.”

The owner of Macaron Bar, Michael Wagner, said police told him that this group of juveniles was doing something similar inside the nearby Target, shortly before coming into Macaron Bar.

Wagner said the teens were near the register but did not get away with cash. He said they did leave with macarons before one was led back inside by Pittsburgh police.

Police said they arrested one juvenile.

Officials with the East Liberty Chamber of Commerce said they alerted their members after officers told them to ask that any incident be reported so that they can track this group.

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