Neighbors Chase Down Suspect After Lawrenceville Woman Mugged

LAWRENCEVILLE (KDKA) -- Maggie Negrete, 26, of Lawrenceville has nothing but praise for the way some of her neighbors reacted when she was being robbed Sunday afternoon, while walking back from the grocery store.

Negrete told KDKA that a man approached her and took her wallet, while threatening to hurt him with a bottle.

"I started running down the street [chasing him] screaming many expletives, I said 'Help, he stole my wallet,' and he kept saying, 'Don't make me hurt you,'" she said.

Negrete's neighbors heard the commotion and ran outside.

One neighbor, whom she knew only by sight until Monday, chased the suspect down.

Sean Sweeny said he and his dad drove around the neighborhood, looking for the suspect and his dad spotted the man.

Sean said he then threw his knee against the suspect's back, and put him in a headlock until police showed up moments later.

Before Negrete even reached her front door with her groceries, police were there with the suspect in the back seat of their patrol car.

Negrete said she couldn't be more proud of the neighborhood where she lives.

"Sean and other neighbors are like my little vigilantes, my super heroes," she said.

The suspect, 31-year-old Fred Perella of Carnegie, faces charges of robbery, and receiving stolen property.

He was unable to post bond, and is jailed on $10,000 bail.

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