Suspect apprehended in Allentown strip club robbery, police say

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Platinum Plus at 1251 Airport Road in Allentown was robbed at gunpoint Saturday, city police say.

(File Photo| LehighValleyLive.com)

Allentown police have arrested a man they say robbed the Platinum Plus gentlemen's club Saturday on Airport Road.

Hector Medina-Pena, 32, of the 600 block of Lehigh Street in Allentown, is accused of walking into the strip club, 1251 Airport Road, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday with three other men, displaying a handgun and demanding a clerk hand over an undetermined amount of cash.

There were no reported injuries.

Allentown Assistant Police Chief Keith Morris said the four men then fled in a vehicle. Police issued an alert about 7 p.m. Saturday for police in the area to be on the lookout for a Hispanic male in a dark T-shirt and provided a description of the get-away vehicle.

Allentown police Officer James Nusky then spotted the vehicle at Third and Union streets and called for back-up. All four men were arrested at Fifth and Auburn streets, Morris said.

Morris said evidence in the vehicle was able to connect Medina-Pena with the crime, but he declined comment if a handgun was seized in the search. The other three men traveling with Medina-Pena were later determined not to be involved in the robbery and were released, Morris said.

Medina-Pena has been charged with robbery, theft, receiving stolen property, criminal mischief and simple assault. He was arraigned Saturday evening before District Judge Robert C. Halal on $300,000 bail. After failing to post bail, Medina-Pena was taken to the Lehigh County Jail.

A  preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled June 8.

A woman who answered the phone Saturday evening at the club said everyone there was OK but declined further comment.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@express-times.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find Nazareth area news on Facebook.

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