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Man accused in Westmoreland County crime spree claims 'misunderstanding'

Alex Kerestesy, 31, was in court Thursday

Man accused in Westmoreland County crime spree claims 'misunderstanding'

Alex Kerestesy, 31, was in court Thursday

CRIME SPREE. ALEX BEING TAKEN INTO CUSTODY WHILE WALKING DOWN A GREENSBURG ROAD IN HIS UNDERWEAR. >> THIS WHOLE THING IS A MISUNDERSTANDING. I WAS TRYING TO GET SOME MENTAL HEALTH HELP. REPORTER: HIS ARREST CAME MOMENTS AFTER POLICE SAY HE ROBBED A NEARBY RIGHT EIGHT AND WAS SCREAMING IN THE STORE WHILE THROWING ITEMS ON THE GROUND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. >> HE TOLD THE MANAGER, I’M NOT PAYING FOR THESE ITEMS AND IF YOU DON’T GET OUT OF THE WAY, I WILL SHOOT YOU AND WHEN THE POLICE COME, I WILL SHOOT THEM ALSO. >> WHY DID YOU THREATEN THEM? >> I HAD TO DO WHAT I HAD TO DO TO GET SOME HELP. REPORTER: THIS FOLLOWED AN INCIDENT AT THE KNIGHTS IN WHERE HE’S ACCUSED OF DAMAGING THE FRONT DOOR OF THE HOTEL. POLICE SAY HE ADMITTED TO USING METH AND HE’S THANKFUL NO ONE WAS HURT. >> DRUGS TAKE HOLD PEOPLE IN THE ACT IRRATIONAL. THEN WHEN POLICE GET INVOLVED, THEY GET MORE IRRITATED. THEY ARE EXTREMELY UNPREDICTABLE. IT’S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU SEE EVERY DAY. >> HE WAVED HIS PER LUMINARY HEARING SO THAT CASE WILL MOVE FORWARD TOWARDS TRIAL. HE SCHEDULED FOR ANOTHER HEARING ON THE SOUTH GREENSBUR
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Man accused in Westmoreland County crime spree claims 'misunderstanding'

Alex Kerestesy, 31, was in court Thursday

A 31-year-old man is being held without bail in the Westmoreland County jail following multiple bizarre incidents in the Greensburg area.Alex Kerestesy told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 the entire incident was not what it seemed. "The whole thing is a misunderstanding," Kerestesy said outside of court Thursday. "I was just trying to get some mental health help out of Greensburg."Greensburg police arrested Kerestesy on June 19 after he was found pushing a grocery cart along East Pittsburgh Street in his underwear. Moments earlier, police said Kerestesy robbed a nearby Rite Aid and threatened the store manager."He told the manager he wasn't paying for the items and 'if you don't get out of my way I'm going to shoot you and when the police come I'm going to shoot them also,'" Greensburg police Chief Shawn Denning said. Police said Kerestesy admitted to using meth, and was tased by police while they attempted to take him into custody.Earlier that same day, police in South Greensburg arrested Kerestesy following an altercation at the Knights Inn. Police in that case said Kerestesy damaged the entryway to the motel.Kerestesy waived his preliminary hearing in the Greensburg case Thursday. He is scheduled for a hearing in the South Greensburg case Friday.

A 31-year-old man is being held without bail in the Westmoreland County jail following multiple bizarre incidents in the Greensburg area.

Alex Kerestesy told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 the entire incident was not what it seemed.

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"The whole thing is a misunderstanding," Kerestesy said outside of court Thursday. "I was just trying to get some mental health help out of Greensburg."

Greensburg police arrested Kerestesy on June 19 after he was found pushing a grocery cart along East Pittsburgh Street in his underwear. Moments earlier, police said Kerestesy robbed a nearby Rite Aid and threatened the store manager.

"He told the manager he wasn't paying for the items and 'if you don't get out of my way I'm going to shoot you and when the police come I'm going to shoot them also,'" Greensburg police Chief Shawn Denning said.

Police said Kerestesy admitted to using meth, and was tased by police while they attempted to take him into custody.

Earlier that same day, police in South Greensburg arrested Kerestesy following an altercation at the Knights Inn. Police in that case said Kerestesy damaged the entryway to the motel.

Kerestesy waived his preliminary hearing in the Greensburg case Thursday. He is scheduled for a hearing in the South Greensburg case Friday.