Trio arrested in door-to-door salesman scheme
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh police arrested three men in connection to a door-to-door salesman scheme. According to the criminal complaint, the victims in the case were not going to press charges against Desmond Mickens, of Pittsburgh, Henry Flakes, of Georgia, and Joel Yancoskie, of Mount Washington, until they continued to lie about stealing items from homes. Police said the three men were going door-to-door in the Hill District claiming to be selling discount energy plans. Investigators said the men claimed to work for IGS Energy and could save people money on their energy bills. Channel 11 News spoke to one victim, who said two of the suspects distracted him while the third man robbed him. "They knocked some paper around and kicked it around and you know to get my attention to look one way while the other guy was at the other end," the victim said. According to the criminal complaint, the victim's daughter confronted Mickens and Flakes about stealing an iPad outside the victim's neighbor's house. She told police that if the men had admitted to stealing, she would not have pressed charges. Police said the trio was staying at a hotel in Ross Township. All three men are in the Allegheny County Jail.
