Morning Roundup: Pittsburgh police seek charges on Downtown 'porch pirate'

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, April 18:

Police make arrest in Downtown Pittsburgh thefts

Pittsburgh police said they will charge a “porch pirate” they believe is responsible for several thefts Downtown and along the North Shore.

Public Safety officials said a warrant is sought for Valarie Seevers, 47, of Pittsburgh in connection with six thefts of packages from home porches or door steps.

The thefts happened within the past month.

Seevers is being held in the Allegheny County Jail on unrelated charges.

Police urge victims of similar thefts in the area to report the incidents at 412-323-7201.

Firefighter injured at Bluff blaze

A Pittsburgh firefighter hurt his ankle and was taken to the hospital in stable condition after responding to a fire in the city’s Bluff section.

Crews responded at about 7 a.m. to the 1800 block of 5th Avenue, according to public safety officials.

A nearby resident called 911 to report smoke pouring from the structure’s roof. When fire crews arrived, they found flames coming from a third-story window.

The building was unoccupied at the time.

An investigation to determine the cause is ongoing.

Homicide charges filed on 3 in Marshall-Shadeland death

Three people are facing charges of homicide stemming from a 2021 shooting that killed a man in Marshall-Shadeland.

The suspects are Caia Oliver, 21; Ramone Harrison, 27; and Jermale Lewis, 29 — all of Pittsburgh.

They are charged in the Aug. 17, 2021, shooting of Ernest Adams, 39, who was found dead in a home in the 1300 block of Malden Street.

At that time, public safety officials said police responded to a ShotSpotter alert and found evidence that a possible crime had occurred. Officers forced entry inside the home and found Adams.

The suspects face charges of criminal homicide and a felony count of conspiracy. Harrison and Lewis also face a count of illegal possession of a firearm.

Bail was denied for all three. They are in the Allegheny County Jail awaiting a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 2 in Pittsburgh Municipal Court.