3 arrested in NK robbery

As New Kensington police Officer Traci King was performing a routine "pat-down" of three people suspected of robbery late Wednesday night, she noticed one of the suspects, a woman, reach into the waistband of her pants.

According to police, when King grabbed the woman's wrist, a loaded .25-caliber semi-automatic pistol clattered to the pavement along the 200 block of McCargo Street. It was just before midnight.

About an hour earlier, according to police, the trio was involved in the robbery of a man in Proctor Alley, behind the YMCA building.

Suspects Melvin Wright, 20, of Eighth Avenue, Harrison, Shaqula Rogers, 18, of Frankstown Road, Penn Hills, and Leeda Marie Settle, 19, of the 800 block of Constitution Boulevard, New Kensington, were arraigned Thursday afternoon and sent to the Westmoreland County Prison in lieu of $100,000 cash bond for Wright and Rogers and $75,000 for Settle, pending a preliminary hearing.

The three are accused of robbing a 27-year-old Ridge Avenue, New Kensington, man at gunpoint while he sat in his car along Proctor Alley, said police.

According to reports, Wright and Rogers, with their faces covered, pointed guns at the victim and demanded that he give them "everything that you have." When the man said he didn't have anything, Wright allegedly searched the man's pants pockets.

Police say Settle, also with her face covered, stood nearby.

Wright then allegedly took a backpack from the victim's car. Inside were a laptop computer and camera, checkbooks and other items.

One of the suspects also allegedly yelled to the others, "Pop this fool."

Police later received a call from one of the victim's relatives, who said the three had loudly knocked on her front and rear porches, then left.

Officers searched McCargo Street and saw a black baseball cap and a black bandana, like the victim described the robbers as wearing, on the sidewalk.

The suspects were spotted in the 200 block of McCargo.

Police said Rogers was the woman who grabbed at her waistband during the pat-down.

Rogers is charged with carrying a concealed pistol without a permit as well as robbery, theft, terroristic threats and reckless endangerment.

Wright and Settle are charged with robbery, theft, terroristic threats and reckless endangerment.

Although the victim said Wright also held a gun, the only one found was the one police say Rogers had.