Robbery suspect apprehended in Oakland

After responding to a string of robberies throughout Oakland and Shadyside late Tuesday night,… After responding to a string of robberies throughout Oakland and Shadyside late Tuesday night, Pittsburgh Police apprehended the man they believe is responsible for more than 20 local robberies.

Brandyn Seabreeze, 22, was arrested at approximately 1 a.m. Tuesday at 204 Craft St., said Sgt. Aaron Beatty of the Pittsburgh Police robbery division.

Seabreeze was arrested carrying a 9 mm handgun, a recent victim’s cell phone and another victim’s ATM card, he added.

Beatty said Seabreeze’s final set of robberies progressed through Oakland and Shadyside, one after another. Pitt Police Chief Tim Delaney said the first mugging occurred Monday evening in Shadyside, near Maryland Avenue. Seabreeze allegedly then progressed through Oakland, committing armed muggings on Bates Street, South Craig Street and on the 3500 block of Forbes Avenue.

Delaney said city police, along with police from Pitt and Carnegie Mellon University, set up a perimeter around the Forbes Avenue area to try to catch the perpetrator after the last incident.

Two Pitt police officers, Officer Paul Burg and Officer Robert Broadwater, spotted Seabreeze sprinting behind the CVS on Forbes Avenue and pursued him on foot onto Iroquois Way, Delaney added.

“They chased the actor through the alley, and he slipped to the confines area of the perimeter,” Delaney said. “The search continued and my officers saw him again.”

A short time later, Delaney added, Seabreeze was apprehended near the parking garage at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. Sgt. Tammy Elias, of Pitt Police, brought the victim of the Forbes Avenue mugging to the site of the arrest, where he identified Seabreeze as the robber. Beatty said Sgt. Ray Hutton was responsible for the arrest.

Pittsburgh Police believe Seabreeze is connected to several other robberies in the Oakland-Shadyside-Squirrel Hill area, and are currently investigating.

Delaney said he received an e-mail yesterday morning from Cmdr. Thomas Stangrecki, commander of Zone Four, congratulating Pitt Police on their assistance with the arrest. He said the final line of Stangrecki’s e-mail summed up his feelings about his men’s work on the case.

“It reads ‘I am sure that the residents and the students, as well as myself, are glad that Seabreeze is off the streets before he seriously injured someone.’ That sums up how I feel,” Delaney said.

Until the most recent set of muggings, no Pitt student had been victimized, Delaney added. He had not yet determined if any of Tuesday’s victims were affiliated with the University. A statement issued by CMU Police Lt. John Race stated that three CMU students were among the victims.

Meanwhile, some Pitt students are relieved police have apprehended the suspect.

“It’s good to know he’s no long there,” sophomore Sean Brooks said. “I kind of would feel safer now.”

Brooks said he was taking precautions when banking since he found out about the robberies a few days ago. Tuesday night, he and a friend both needed to get money out of the ATM. Rather than going to separate banks, he decided to go with his friend.

“My friends were a little freaked too,” he added.

Sophomore Lisa Keller also took precautions regarding bank transactions.

“I used my debit card more,” Keller, a history major, said. “It’s relieving. I don’t have a lot of money, and if someone wants to take what little I have, I’d be bummed,”

Other Pitt students said they didn’t take any additional precautions during recent weeks.

“If I go out, I always go out in a group,” freshman Sam Crowe said. “I don’t wander around the shady areas.”

His friend Andrew Pagel said he didn’t change his habits either.

“It never really affected what I did,” the freshman said. “I never felt unsafe around here.”