Woman’s ‘crazy move’ thwarts robbery attempt

Darlene Gibson 'saw red ... and started swearing,' when a man with a bandana across his face and brandishing a gun came in the back door of Angelia's Pizza and demanded money.

The would-be robber apparently didn't like the odds, and took off.

The man, whom Gibson described as black, more than 6 feet tall, wearing blue jeans and a black jacket, entered the Moon Township pizza shop at 9:42 p.m. on Saturday.

'I was furious,' said Gibson, who is 5 feet, 2 inches tall and will be 50 years old this month. 'I was right in his face.'

'I swear heavily,' she said, adding that it is her one vice.

Among other things, she told him to 'get out while he had a chance,' and 'remember one thing - I know what you look like.'

Despite the bandana he wore, 'I could see his eyes,' she explained.

The man did as he was told.

He left by the back door he had entered through and headed on foot toward the Skylark Motor Inn on Moon Clinton Road.

'It was a crazy move, but it worked,' Gibson said. 'It totally turned him around.'

'I don't recommend doing it,' she advised. 'You take your chances if you dare.'

Another employee, an 18-year-old woman, also was in the shop at the time of the attempted robbery.

'My main concern was that nothing happened to her,' Gibson said. 'I was more afraid for her than for me. I'll be 50 in three weeks - I've lived my life.'

Moon Police, with assistance from Allegheny County Police, Moon Volunteer Fire Department and two K-9 search-and-rescue teams, began searching the area about 10 minutes later. They did not find the would-be robber.

Gibson, who is from the Moon-Coraopolis area, has worked for Angelia's for more than 12 years. She recalled a robbery several years ago, while she was working at Angelia's Pizza in Coraopolis.

'I was under the counter fixing something,' she said, so she didn't see the robbery happening.

'But I went out after him - I wasn't afraid then, either.'

Howard McClellan can be reached at hmcclellan@tribweb.com or at (412) 306-4536.