By Jennifer Reeger

Published: Monday, December 3, 2012, 1:42 p.m.
Updated: Tuesday, December 4, 2012

A Latrobe woman threw a clerk to the floor and stole money from two cash registers during a robbery in a Youngstown grocery store on Sunday night, state police said.

Jillian E. Richter, 26, of 105 Miller St. was charged with robbery, theft and simple assault in the incident at Mekic's store about 7:15 p.m.

In court papers, police said they identified Richter using surveillance video from the store.

Police allege Richter went to Mekic's to cash in a winning scratch-off lottery ticket. When the store clerk opened a cash register to pay her, Richter jumped over the counter, grabbed the clerk and threw her down, police said.

Richter then took money from the register, police said.

The clerk got up and tried to stop Richter, but Richter again pushed her to the floor, police said.

Richter went to a second cash register and tried to pry open the drawer with a pair of scissors she found in the store, police said. When the scissors broke, Richter allegedly smashed the register with her fists, and it opened.

Richter took money from the second register and ran, police said.

Troopers showed the store's surveillance video to Latrobe police officers, who thought the robber looked like Jillian Richter.

State police interviewed Richter's mother, who identified her daughter in the video. She told police her daughter had been at her house earlier in the evening and was wearing the same clothes as the robber.

Police arrested Richter on Monday. She was arraigned by Unity District Judge Michael Mahady, who set bond at $20,000.

North Huntingdon police charged Richter with marijuana possession during a traffic stop on Nov. 7, according to court papers. She faces a preliminary hearing in January on that case.

Jennifer Reeger is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-836-6155 or jreeger@tribweb.com.

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