Uniontown woman faces charges for robbery

A pregnant woman accused of robbing a fast food restaurant and a convenience store in September had all charges held on Tuesday for Fayette County Court.
Police allege that on Sept. 14, Amber Jane Reinhart, 31, of Uniontown robbed the McDonald’s restaurant and the BFS Foods Store, both on Morgantown Street, and attempted to rob the Walgreens Pharmacy on West Main Street.
During Reinhart’s preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Michael Metros, Uniontown police Detective Donald M. Gmitter testified that when Reinhart was arrested Sept. 15, she confessed to all three incidents.
“I made a mistake. I fell off the wagon,” he quoted her as saying.
Gmitter testified that as Reinhart identified herself from surveillance photos that police had gathered from the investigation, she allegedly said, “I’m not going to lie. You know what’s up.”
Gmitter testified that at the time of the alleged robberies, Reinhart was six months pregnant with a baby boy and admitted to taking cocaine hours before she was arrested.
Reinhart is charged with four counts each of robbery and simple assault, three counts of theft, two counts each of receiving stolen property and terroristic threats, and one count each of attempted robbery and attempted theft.
Albert Lee, a BFS clerk, testified when Reinhart walked into BFS Foods, she held her right hand in her sweat shirt pocket so that it would appear to be handgun to the store clerk.
Lee testified that Reinhart said to him, “You know what I got. Give me the money.” After Lee gave her the money, police said, she fled on foot on Morgantown Street.
Gmitter said Reinhart allegedly stole $100 from BFS.
A few hours later, Reinhart reportedly walked into Walgreens.
Susan Lowry, a Walgreens clerk, testified that Reinhart demanded money from the cash register.
Lowry testified that Reinhart said to her, “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I have a gun,”
Lowry said soon after she told her shift leader about what was happening, Reinhart fled the scene.
Lowry did not give her any money, and she fled, the criminal complaint said.
Moments later around 11:30 p.m. Reinhart entered McDonalds, walked up to the counter and demanded money from the cash register, police allege.
Kiara Blakey, a McDonalds’ clerk who was tending to the cash register, testified that Reinhart told her that she had a gun and would shoot her if she didn’t give her money.
Blakey testified that Reinhart said to her, “McDonalds isn’t worth you losing your life.”
Blakey said after gave Reinhart the money, she allegedly demanded more money from another cash register. When Blakey told Reinhart that she couldn’t open that cash register, Reinhart ordered her to get the manager, she testififed. The manager opened the register, but it was empty, Blakey said.
Police said when Reinhart saw there was no money in the register, she fled the restaurant.
Gmitter alleged Reinhart stole $74 from McDonalds.
During the course of the investigation, police reviewed surveillance tapes from the Sunoco station on Morgantown Street.
Police said Reinhart walked into Sunoco, but when the store’s clerk told her take her sunglasses off, she left the store.
Patrolman Jamie Holland, Uniontown police, testified that police were able to make a positive identification of the vehicle Reinhart drove away in, and were able to track her to her apartment on Stewart Street in Uniontown, where they located the vehicle.
Holland said based on previous traffic stops, he was familiar with Reinhart’s vehicle.
During closing arguments, Assistant Public Defender Mary Spegar said none of the alleged victims could identify Reinhart because she was wearing a gray hoodie and sunglasses. Spegar said because Reinhart admitted to ingesting some cocaine prior to her arrest, she questioned whether her confession was admissible.
Assistant District Attorney J.W. Eddy countered that Reinhart’s identification was not something worthy to argue about because all of the alleged victims identified Reinhart from her clothing and/or from the vehicle she used.
Eddy said though Reinhart admitted to ingesting a small amount of cocaine hours prior to her arrest, she voluntarily confessed to her alleged crimes through verbal and written statements.
Reinhart remains in the Fayette County Prison in lieu of $150,000 bond for the three cases.