
DATE: Wednesday, October 22, 1997           TAG: 9710220476

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B6   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY SUSIE STOUGHTON, staff writer 

DATELINE: SUFFOLK                           LENGTH:   72 lines

2 ARMED ROBBERIES IN SUFFOLK REFLECT AN OVERALL CITY INCREASE

A grocery store clerk and five customers were robbed at gunpoint Monday night, and a woman was robbed by a gunman early Tuesday while delivering newspapers.

Robberies have increased in the city recently, police spokesman Mike Simpkins said, but he could not provide an estimate of how often the crimes normally occur.

In the past two months, police have investigated 16 armed robberies - at least half of them committed by a stranger - and four strong-arm robberies.

Some robberies are later found to be the result of domestic disputes, said Sgt. Michael W. McKenzie of the detective bureau. Detectives are investigating a possible connection among several of the recent incidents, especially those at businesses, police said.

The robberies occurred in various sections of the city. In several instances, only a small amount of money was taken, causing the officers to wonder why anyone would risk life in prison - the maximum penalty for robbery - for so little. Some of the robberies are still being investigated, though a few have been cleared by arrests.

Simpkins gave the following account of the latest robberies:

Two men - one with a large-caliber handgun - entered the A&A Market in the 1000 block of East Washington St. about 8:30 p.m. Monday and demanded money and cigarettes from the clerk. The suspects made everyone lie on the floor, then took money, six packs of cigarettes, a digital pager and ran north on Capitol Street.

The suspects were described as black, 19 to 22 years old, 5 feet 8 to 5 feet 10, dark-skinned and clean-shaven with short hair. One was wearing a dark blue jacket or sweat shirt; the other wore a green camouflage-style jacket.

A man with a handgun approached a newspaper carrier as she was walking to her car about 5 a.m. Tuesday after delivering a paper in the 400 block of St. James Ave. He demanded money while two other men waited in a car. The carrier said she didn't have any money and began walking to her car, but the man put his hand on her shoulder and raised the weapon to her face, repeating his demands.

She told him her cigarette case was on the front seat, and he opened her car door and grabbed the case and her cellular telephone. He then got into the getaway car, and the driver headed north.

The gunman was described as black, about 5 feet 10 and 180 pounds, with a medium build. He was unshaven, with black hair, brown eyes and dark complexion. He was wearing a cap.

The car was a tan, mid-size 1990s model with four doors.

Anyone with information about either of these incidents, any earlier robberies or other crimes is asked to call Suffolk police at 925-6350 or Crime Line at 539-1222. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic

ROBBERY INCIDENTS

Recent armed robberies, stranger-to-stranger:

Oct. 21 - newspaper carrier, St. James Avenue

Oct. 20 - A&A Market, East Washington Street

Oct. 18 - pizza deliveryman, East Washington Street

Oct. 16 - Red Barn, Pinner Street

Oct. 12 - Southern Food Store, Constance Road

Sept. 27 - The Way Christian Book Store, Holland Road

Sept. 14 - two people at a house, Maury Place

Sept. 11 - truck driver, Southern Food Store, Holland Road

Recent robberies (armed or strong-arm) of persons, including

those by suspects known by victims: