Teen charged as adult in Mt. Pleasant Township armed robbery

A North Huntingdon teen was arrested by state police Wednesday in connection with an armed robbery Saturday in Mt. Pleasant Township.

Elijah Ben Chaabane, 17, is charged with robbery, unlawful possession of a firearm by a minor, theft and related offenses. He is being charged as an adult.

Troopers were called to Maruca Drive in Mt. Pleasant Township at 12:30 a.m. and found two men who reported being robbed by Chaabane, according to court papers. One of the men told police Chaabane contacted him through smartphone app SnapChat and requested a ride there from North Huntingdon in exchange for $40.

After reaching the destination, Chaabane pointed a loaded pistol at them and demanded money, shoes and clothing from one man and a cell phone from the other, according to court papers.

Troopers said two other suspects helped Chaabane during the robbery but they were identified only by their initials in a criminal complaint. All three fled into the Maruca Drive home where the two unnamed suspects live and state police used a public address system at 1:15 a.m. to get them outside. During a search, police found the pistol hidden in a cat litter box, according to court papers.

The gun’s serial number had been filed down, making it almost illegible, police said. Troopers said they also found the stolen clothing and cell phone, $60 and prescription drugs inside a bedroom.

Chaabane did not have an attorney listed in online court records. His preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 6. He is being held in the Westmoreland County Prison on $100,000 bond. Chaabane does not have a criminal record in adult court in Pennsylvania, according to online court records.