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NANTICOKE — A Kingston man caught by Delaware State Police days after Nanticoke police alleged he attempted to rob a pharmacy and assaulted a customer in November was arraigned Thursday.

City police allege Ryan Stanley Romanoskey, 25, attempted to rob the Rite Aid Pharmacy on East Main Street on Nov. 3, but fled when a cashier screamed. As Romanoskey fled, he struck a bystander who was chasing him with a handgun, police say.

An arrest warrant was issued for Romanoskey on Nov. 14. He was captured by Delaware State Police on Nov. 16, and just returned to Pennsylvania on the arrest warrant.

Romanoskey was identified as the alleged suspect by surveillance cameras, police said.

According to a criminal complaint:

A cashier said she was ringing up Romanoskey, who was buying candy, when he brandished a black-colored object he held to her chest and warned: “Give me all the money and two cartons of cigarettes.” The cashier said Romanoskey jumped onto the counter and attempted to hold the black object to her again, but she pushed him off the counter and screamed.

Romanoskey then ran out of the store.

A bystander outside heard the cashier scream and saw Romanoskey run out. The bystander chased Romanoskey, who swung a handgun that struck the bystander in the head.

Police released a surveillance picture of the suspect wearing a red coat.

After the picture was released, a woman told police Romanoskey came to her house asking for a “handout.” She said she gave him a red coat because he was only wearing a T-shirt.

Another woman told police Romanoskey was at her house after the attempted robbery and may had been under the influence of drugs. Romanoskey was showing her children a crack pipe and asking her kids if they knew where he could buy $4 of marijuana.

The woman told Romanoskey to leave her house as she went to a high school football game. When she returned home after the game, she learned from a news report that Romanoskey was a suspect in the attempted robbery.

Romanoskey, of West Market Street, was arraigned in Luzerne County Central Court on two counts each of criminal attempt to commit robbery, simple assault and harassment. He was jailed for lack of $50,000 bail.

At the time of the robbery try, court records say Romanoskey was on probation after serving several months in the county lockup for holding up the Turkey Hill store on Main Street, Kingston, on Oct. 31, 2015. Romanoskey fled the Turkey Hill with cash and two cartons of cigarettes, records say.

Nanticoke police on Nov. 3, 2017, released a surveillance picture of a man after a robbery attempt at Rite Aid Pharmacy on East Main Street, now alleged to be Ryan Stanley Romanoskey.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_Nanticoke-Rite-Aid-robbery-attempt-11032017-4.jpg.optimal.jpgNanticoke police on Nov. 3, 2017, released a surveillance picture of a man after a robbery attempt at Rite Aid Pharmacy on East Main Street, now alleged to be Ryan Stanley Romanoskey. Submitted

By Ed Lewis

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