Police seeking pink-haired female suspect
SAXONBURG — File this one under: Just when you think you've heard it all.
A suspected burglar with dyed pink hair, police say, broke into a home goods store Monday on West Main Street. She's accused of taking a business T-shirt.
But before leaving, she left behind clothes of her own — namely, a pair of blue jeans and a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey — and a sticky note with the word “Squartino” written on it.
The same woman that same day is also accused of acting up at two other downtown businesses, making a barefoot getaway from one of them.
Saxonburg police on Monday obtained a felony arrest warrant for Michelle Ann Davies, 37, of Saxonburg. She's charged with burglary, trespass and two counts of disorderly conduct.
Police began their investigation about 7:15 a.m. when the cleaning lady at the Saxonburg Hotel on West Man Street reported that someone was trying to break in.
“She was yelling and swearing and pulling on the doors,” Saxonburg police Chief Joe Beachem said Wednesday, referring to the suspect.
The woman at one point yelled: “I know you're in there.”
She allegedly dumped out a cigarette receptacle before dashing away. She was last seen running down North Isabella Street in bare feet.
“She was described as being a white female,” Beachem said, “with bright pink hair.”
Police believe the woman ran into the Saxonburg Coffee & Tea store nearby.
She “ran through the building twice,” according to court documents, “while swearing and slamming the door.”
While police were investigating the incidents and searching for the woman, they got a call around 2 p.m. about yet another incident.
A co-owner of the Batch shop reported finding a break-in there. The suspected burglary happened while the business was closed.
“The rear door had been forced open,” Beachem said, “and there was glassware broken in the store room.”
The co-owner also found something unexpected in the employee's bathroom.
“There was a pair of blue jeans and a Phil Kessel Penguins jersey on the floor,” Beachem said. “And on the sink was a sticky note with 'Squartino' on it.”
The chief admitted he was clueless about the word's meaning.
“I wish I knew,” he said.
As their investigation continued, police got a call from a concerned man reporting that his girlfriend — Davies — had not returned to their apartment after leaving about 6:30 a.m. that day.
Beachem went to the man's home to speak with him. He shared a photograph of his girlfriend.
“She had bright pink hair,” Beachem said, “that (the man) described as 'magenta.'”
Police became even more convinced they had their suspect in the incidents earlier that day when the man disclosed what his girlfriend was wearing when she left the apartment.
“A Phil Kessel jersey and blue jeans,” Beachem said.
At 6:54 p.m., police happened upon an open door at Saxonburg Memorial Presbyterian Church on West Main Street. Inside they found Davies' purse and cell phone. But she was nowhere to be found.
Beachem said the investigation continues but he declined to comment on whether Davies' arrest was imminent.
“We have some idea where she may be,” he said, “and we'll proceed from there.”
