Police release photo of 'person of interest' in robbery of Harmar off-track betting parlor

Allegheny County Police are seeking the public’s help identifying a person of interest in the Nov. 25 robbery of the Meadows Off Track Betting parlor in Harmar.

Investigators said a man claiming to have a gun forced an employee to open the cash room at the betting facility about an hour before it was scheduled to open at 11 a.m.

The man was already inside the locked building and surprised the employee, police said. He demanded the woman’s car keys and barricaded her inside a room with no telephone before taking money and fleeing.

Investigators said there were no signs of forced entry into the building, and it is not clear how the robber got in.

Police said the man collected cash from the safe and placed it in a black trash bag. He then got into the woman’s 2005 Ford Escape to flee the area.

Police would not say how much money was stolen.

Police described the robber as a black man with a medium build who is about 5 feet, 4 inches tall. He was wearing a dark, hooded jacket with the hood pulled up over a light-colored ball cap.

The dark gray SUV has a state wildlife conservation plate: WR 23951. The vehicle also has a Slippery Rock University parking sticker on the upper driver’s side of the windshield. There also was trim missing from the front fender on the driver’s side.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Allegheny County Police Tipline at 1-833-255-8477, or 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous. The department also can be reached through its social media sites.