
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, August 23, 1994                   TAG: 9408230089
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DIANE STRUZZI
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

SUSPECT HELD IN CONVENIENCE STORE HOLDUPS

Police have arrested one of two men sought in connection with last week's robberies of three convenience stores in Roanoke, Roanoke County and Salem.

Ronald Roop, 31, was charged with two counts of robbery Saturday after his fingerprints were identified at the crime scenes in Roanoke County and Salem, police said. He was arrested at his home on the 3800 block of Panorama Avenue Northwest.

The police believe he robbed a Happy Store on the 2100 block of Apperson Drive in Salem at 10:05 p.m. Thursday. A toy gun resembling a 9 mm handgun was displayed and dropped.

Roop also was charged with robbing the Market Place on Plantation Road in Roanoke County at 5:43 a.m. Friday.

Today, Roanoke police expect to charge Roop with robbing the Uni-Mart in the 1200 block of Jamison Avenue earlier Friday morning, a police spokesman said.

In that incident, one of the two robbers jumped over the counter and struck the Uni-Mart clerk in the face. As the men fled the area, one of them dropped a box of rolled coins.

Roop remains in Roanoke County Jail on $3,000 bond.

Police are continuing to search for the second man involved in the robberies.

by CNB