Police: SF Robberies May Be Connected

by Breanna Fuss, Reporter
December 31, 2012 5:12 PM


The Gas Stop on East 26th Street was a victim of a robbery Saturday night. And police believe the suspect who committed the crime could be responsible for three others on the east side of town in the last two months.

Within less than two months, three convenience stores on the east side of Sioux Falls have been the targets of four armed robberies. The most recent one happened on Saturday- when police were called to the Gas Stop on East 26th Street. According to police a man armed with a gun demanded money from the clerk. And the description of the suspect is a familiar one to police.

“The same suspect as some of the recent ones, I mean given the physical description, but no direct link has made as of yet,” said Lt. Matt Burns with the Sioux Falls Police Department.

Police believe the spree began on November 11, at Casey’s General Store on South Sycamore Avenue. They said a man with a butcher knife demanded money from the clerk. The clerk handed over the cash register, which the suspect stuffed in a backpack.
 
A few weeks later, on December 6, the same Casey’s was robbed again. And the sequence of events was identical.

On December 26, it happened at a different store. This time a man entered the Get N’ Go on Arrowhead Parkway. Again, armed with a butcher knife, the man demanded money-which he then stashed in a backpack.

With four robberies in less than two months, police said enough is enough.

 "It's time for these to come to an end,” said Burns.

But police need your help to catch the suspect. He is described as a black male between
6 feet and 6 foot 5 inches tall. Each time, he is wearing a dark colored sweatshirt or jacket and his face is covered. The only difference between the robberies is the weapon.      

"That is entirely possible to change up the m.o,” said Burns.

And that has led investigators to believe he is trying to make sure they don’t catch on to him.

Police are asking anyone with information to call Crimestoppers at 367-7007.