South Strabane police look for man who robbed BP station
South Strabane Township police said a man walked into a Murtland Avenue convenience store and stole cigarettes before being chased outside by a manager just after noon Friday.
The manager told police she was working on paperwork at about 12:15 p.m. when the robber came into the store. He approached the counter, reportedly telling the manager, “I want your money, and I need Newports.”
The manager told police she acted like she did not know how to open the register. As she stalled in atempting to open the cash register, he placed multiple packs of cigarettes in his jacket. He reportedly told her to hurry up and then took multiple cartons of cigarettes.
The robber then left the store without saying anything else to the manager. She told police he fled in the direction of North Avenue, where she saw him get into a older, dirty maroon car. Detective Michael Schidlmeier said he was last seen driving on North in the direction of East Beau Street.
The robber is described as a black man, about 5 feet, 7 inches tall, with a thin to medium build. He was wearing a green, puffy, hooded jacket, black winter hat and had a black mask partially covering his face. The manager told police she did not see a weapon, Schidlmeier said.
“This was brazen that he did this in the day,” Schildmeier said.
Store surveillance shows the robber entering the store at 12:14 p.m. A minute later, he packed up a pack of Slim Jims beef snacks and puts those in his coat pocket before walking behind the counter and taking packs of cigarettes. He is then seen taking cartons of cigarettes before leaving through the door closest to the car wash.
Schidlmeier said he will be checking with North Franklin Township police to determine if there is any connection to a robbery last week of a 7-Eleven inside the BP station at 1360 W. Chestnut St.
Three men wearing bandanas over their faces entered that store about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. One robber had a black and silver pistol. Cash and Newport Gold cigarettes were stolen in that robbery. The three fled in a black car that had been parked behind the store.
Anyone with information on Friday’s robbery is asked to call South Strabane police at 824-225-8111.