Posted: 12:44 pm EST December 10, 2010Updated: 6:09 pm EST December 10, 2010
BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Police said a game of rock, paper, scissors ended with the arrest of two suspects in a string of armed robberies near Lehigh University. Bethlehem and Lehigh University police spent the last week scanning crime camera footage in the area searching for leads. They got one Friday morning. Shortly after 2:00, a Lehigh University student was robbed in the 600 block of Pierce Street. The student suffered facial injuries, but managed to call police. A dispatch operator who heard the call helped officers move in on the suspects. "He took the initiative to jump on our camera system, start looking in the areas where he thought our suspects would be," said Commissioner Stuart Bedics, Bethlehem Police Department. "It was a huge break in this case." 12/6/10 Story: Robbery Puts Police, Students On Alert That search caught Michael Prater, 18, a 15-year-old boy, and two 13-year-olds running away from the crime scene. The dispatch operator zoomed in as officers knocked on the door of a home in the 400 block of Buchanan Street, where the teens were holed up. "These crimes were done by these individuals as part of their work by the gang," said Bedics. "If young members or associates were not able to produce funds for the gang, they would suffer a beat down." Police said Prater and the 15-year-old boy may have been acting on the orders of the Bloods gang. Both were charged with six robberies in the Lehigh University area. Police are also questioning the two 13-year-olds and plan to make at least one more arrest. Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli is expected to review the case and decide if the 15-year-old will be tried as an adult. Police said the teens decided who would attack the target with a game of rock, paper, scissors. "I need to applaud not only the city of Bethlehem but my own officers, as well, for their continued support and hard work over the past week when the original robberies occurred," said Chief Ed Shupp, Lehigh University Police Department. Copyright 2010 WFMZ. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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