Woman grilled in Wal-Mart thefts
New Kensington police on Thursday arrested a city woman who they say matches the description of someone wanted in a string of Wal-Mart thefts totaling $30,000.
Frances A. Radeshak, 33, of New Kensington was in a pickup truck stopped by police on Freeport Road after they received a tip that the passenger resembled a woman involved in the thefts, according to arrest papers filed by city police.
The tipster told police he recognized the passenger from a local newscast that showed security footage of a white woman and black man stealing merchandise from three Wal-Mart stores in the region.
Police arrested Radeshak after allegedly finding a hypodermic syringe and empty heroin packet in her purse. She was arraigned later Thursday night on a possession of drug paraphernalia charge and was being detained in Westmoreland County jail in lieu of $2,500 bond.
North Huntingdon, Cranberry and East Franklin police each questioned the suspect in custody regarding her potential involvement in Wal-Mart thefts in those towns, according to the criminal complaint. It states that each department considers Radeshak a suspect in those cases.
As of Friday, charges in those cases had not been filed against Radeshak.
East Franklin police Officer Robert Gahagan confirmed that the police department questioned Radeshak in the New Kensington police station. He would not divulge further details.
Cranberry police haven't issued a warrant either, according to Lt. Kevin Meyer, who would neither confirm nor deny that the department interrogated Radeshak despite the connection made in the New Kensington incident arrest papers.
“Whether we had a conversation with that person or not, I don't know,” he said. “And if that conversation did take place, I don't know what it would be about.”
Numerous calls to North Huntingdon police went unanswered.
Security footage from Irwin, Cranberry and Connells-ville Wal-Mart locations show two suspects stealing about $30,000 worth of electronics from the stores.
The woman would act as a lookout while the man, wearing a fake beard, would dismantle the locks on electronic equipment cases, according to Trooper Stefani Plume, a state police spokeswoman. The pair would then load the merchandise into a bag or container before leaving the store.
Wal-Mart loss prevention officials did not return numerous calls on Friday.
Radeshak in 2011 pleaded guilty in Westmoreland County Court to four retail theft charges.
She awaits a Sept. 5 preliminary hearing in the New Kensington drug case before District Justice Frank J. Pallone Jr.
The driver of the silver pickup truck in which Radeshak was found was not questioned or arrested by police. New Kensington police Chief Tom Klawinski said he was unaware of the traffic stop's details.
Braden Ashe is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-226-4673 or bashe@tribweb.com
