By Patti Dobranski
Tribune-Review
Westmoreland County Prison authorities recovered $635 of $766 in stolen Pennsylvania lottery money in the vagina of a Pittsburgh woman who allegedly stole the cash from a North Huntingdon Township convenience store.
According to the criminal complaint, police responded to a theft at Sunshine News, along Route 30, at 7:50 p.m. on Nov. 2.
The store owner and a clerk said a woman dropped a glass bottle of tea at the rear of the store to “create a diversion” while her male companion cashed instant lottery tickets, police said. The clerk paid the man $26 from the lottery deposit bag and placed it under the counter. The man purchased a cigar and the bottle of tea and started to leave the store, when he turned around and asked to exchange the cigar. The clerk said she left the counter to get another cigar.
Police said the clerk saw the woman near the lottery machine where the cash bag was hidden under the counter. She returned to the counter and gave the new cigar to the couple. As the two left, she noticed the bag of lottery money was missing.
The owner saw the two drive away in a 1988 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer and head west into North Versailles Township, Allegheny County, police said.
North Versailles police were contacted and were able to stop the couple in the parking lot of a restaurant in the township.
Police reviewed the surveillance tape and said it showed Latonya Marie Anthony, 22, of Hays Street, Pittsburgh, take the bag and leave with Andrew Derrell Kelly, 22, of Lemington Avenue, Pittsburgh.
Police allegedly found $88 in Anthony’s pocket and $150 in Kelly’s pocket.
Anthony and Kelly were arraigned on charges of theft by unlawful taking, criminal conspiracy and receiving stolen property and placed in Westmoreland County Prison in lieu of $10,000 bail.
While at the prison, an officer did a body search of Anthony and allegedly found $635 inside her vagina, according to court papers. North Huntingdon police obtained a search warrant to search Anthony for the money.
The pair waived their right to a preliminary hearing before District Judge Douglas Weimer on Wednesday.
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