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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A homeless man is facing a slew of charges after he allegedly committed three armed robberies.</p><p>Richard Alan Della Croce, 45, told officers he committed the crimes to support a heroin addiction and to avoid getting sick, a complaint states.</p><p>According to court documents:</p><p>The first robbery occurred at the Sunoco on Kidder Street in Wilkes-Barre on Feb. 11.</p><p>Officers spoke with store employee Jagmohan Mehendiratta, who said a male, later identified as Della Croce, entered the store and grabbed a soda from a cooler. When Della Croce approached the counter, he put coins down and told Mahendiratta that he did not have enough change to purchase the drink.</p><p>Mehendiratta told Della Croce that it was OK, but as Mehendiratta opened the cash register, Della Croce threatened him with a syringe. Della Croce then removed $110 in $10 and $20 bills and fled.</p><p>Police later found a syringe outside, and it was full of an unidentified red liquid.</p><p>The second robbery took place at the Convenience Corner on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre at 6:35 p.m. Feb. 12.</p><p>Officers spoke with store employee Iyana Coleman, who said a man entered the store wearing a white ski mask. The man refused to remove the mask when asked, and repeatedly claimed he &#8220;was sick.&#8221;</p><p>Della Croce then approached the counter and asked to purchase a scratch-off lottery ticket. Della Croce gave Coleman money, and when Coleman opened the drawer and looked up, Della Croce had a large knife and was reaching into the cash register.</p><p>Della Croce removed an unknown amount of cash from the register and fled the store. It was later determined he got away with $780.</p><p>The third incident occurred at the Pantry Quik on Wyoming Avenue in Kingston. Officers responded to the store at 2 p.m. Feb. 17 for a hold-up alarm.</p><p>Cashier Nanya Patel told police the suspect displayed a knife and took approximately $200 in cash from the register. Patel said Della Croce told her &#8220;don&#8217;t be afraid, I&#8217;m sick.&#8221;</p><p>Officers interviewed Della Croce in the Luzerne County Correctional Facility on Feb. 20. Court documents indicate he was jailed on unrelated retail theft charges in lieu of $5,000 bail.</p><p>Della Croce allegedly admitted to each of the robberies, and told police he committed them to support a heroin addiction.</p><p>He added that he committed the robberies &#8220;to not get sick.&#8221;</p><p>In total, Della Croce faces seven robbery charges and one charge of possession of an instrument of crime.</p><p>He was arraigned before District Judge Thomas Malloy Sr. on Wednesday and is scheduled for one preliminary hearing before Malloy at 1 p.m. March 1, and another two 10 a.m. March 3.</p><p>He is currently jailed for lack of $150,000 bail from all three criminal dockets.</p><p><ins>For other local crime stories, <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/category/crime" target="_blank">click here</a>.</ins></p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Mugshot of Dellacroce.</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_Dellacroce-Richard-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Mugshot of Dellacroce.</caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Travis Kellar</p><p>tkellar@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Travis Kellar at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @TLNews</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Police: Man robbed three stores to support drug addiction, avoid getting sick