THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 5, 1994 TAG: 9406050094
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KAREN E. QUINONES MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940605 LENGTH: NORFOLK
The incident began about 9 p.m. when the men entered the Kmart store in the 200 block of West Mercury Blvd. and demanded money, said Lt. A.J. Brighton of the Hampton police.
{REST} The men were given several bags containing ``a large amount of money,'' Brighton said, and fled from the store on foot.
Witnesses said the men got into a green Ford Aerostar van.
Police officer R. Winer spotted the van as it headed onto Interstate 64, Brighton said.
``The van attempted to exit the interstate a number of times, but then kept swerving back onto the highway,'' Brighton said.
Two other Hampton police cars joined the pursuit, Brighton said.
As they reached the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, they were traveling at speeds up to 95 mph.
Norfolk police joined the chase after the van emerged from south side of the tunnel, said Norfolk police spokesman Larry Hill.
The van headed toward the Tidewater Drive south exit on I-64, Brighton said, but it clipped a road sign and skidded off the left side of the road into a grassy area.
The men then fled on foot into a wooded area near a set of railroad tracks, Brighton said.
A silver-colored large-caliber revolver was recovered from the van, as well as some of the money, sources at the scene said.
Police are still searching for the men, whom they believe may have been picked up by a taxi near Tidewater Drive.
The men are both black, police said. One is described as medium-built, about 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, in his mid-30s, with glasses and a goatee, and wearing a light-colored shirt. The other man is described as 5-foot-9, 175 pounds, clean-shaven and wearing dark clothing.
{KEYWORDS} ROBBERIES
by CNB