One night, three armed robberies
, Staff Writer
11-02-2009
Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office and Pulaski Police Department are investigating three armed robberies that occurred late Friday and early Saturday.
Two of the robberies involved restaurants in the Fairlawn area, while the one in town involved a restaurant delivery driver. Police are still investigating whether there could be any connection between the county and town robberies.
The suspects in the Fairlawn robberies are white males and the town’s suspect is a black male.
Pulaski County Sheriff Jim Davis said the first robbery occurred at 9:10 p.m. Friday at Troy’s pizza and sub shop in the Food Lion shopping center off Route 114 in Fairlawn.
Troy’s employees reported that a white male armed with what appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun demanded cash and then fled on foot in the direction of the Wal-Mart shopping center. The suspect got away with an undisclosed amount of money, which included a “large amount” of change.
That suspect was described as being around five foot, nine inches to five foot, 10 inches tall and weighing 180 to 200 pounds. He was wearing camouflage over his face, a gray hoodie, jeans and black gloves.
Four minutes later, a white male who also was armed, entered King Buffet demanding money. He too fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money.
Davis said a small dark-colored car was seen “speeding from the area” shortly after the robbery.
The second robber is described as five foot, nine inches tall, 160 to 170 pounds, wearing camouflage over his face, an Army-type camouflage jacket, jeans and black gloves.
No one was injured in either robbery.
“We feel they’re connected,” the sheriff said. “We think there could be as many as three people involved if there was a driver.”
Christiansburg Police Department responded to the scene with its tracking dog. Davis said the dog gave a ‘strong track” from Troy’s to the area near the Wal-Mart parking lot.
Asked whether it is possible one person committed both robberies, but switched upper body clothing between the crimes, Davis said it is possible. However, he noted that a search of the area had not turned up any dropped change or clothing in the area.
Officers from the sheriff’s office and Radford City Police Department were patrolling throughout the Fairlawn area looking for the suspects and a vehicle matching the description of the car seen quickly leaving the area.
The description of the suspects and vehicle were immediately provided to law enforcement agencies so they could be on the lookout for the perpetrators and vehicle.
Patrols were increased in the Fairlawn area overnight in hopes of locating the suspects.
Davis said police also were busy viewing security tapes from other businesses in the area, in hopes of finding beneficial evidence.
According to Pulaski Police Sgt. R. E. Riddle, a delivery driver for an undisclosed business reported being robbed shortly after midnight.
According to a press release from Pulaski Police Department, police were dispatched to the 500 block of Laurel Wood Drive around 12:20 a.m. for an armed robbery.
Police said the delivery driver reported being approached by a black male, who brandished a firearm and demanded his moneybag. The suspect then fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money and “the victim’s property.”
A tracking dog tracked to an area in the 1900 block of Memorial Drive.
Anyone having information on the town robbery should call the police department at 994-8680.
Information on the Fairlawn robberies should be reported to the Sheriff’s office Crimeline at 980-7810.
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