Wednesday, October 10th, 2012
Suspects sought in St. Marys armed robbery
By Shelley Grieshop
ST. MARYS - Authorities are searching for two suspects in an armed robbery late Tuesday afternoon at a Shell gas station.
No one was injured during the incident at 5:52 p.m. along Celina Road in St. Marys. Police are reviewing the businesses' surveillance video to help identify the suspects and/or the maroon, four-door pickup truck they used to flee the scene, St. Marys Police Sgt. Mark Enrst said.
One of the suspects entered the store and reportedly waited until customers left before approaching the clerk. The white male told the clerk he was brandishing a gun under his clothing and demanded she hand over cash, Ernst said. The suspect - wearing grey shorts and a blue and gold sweatshirt with a hood tightly covering his head - fled with an undisclosed amount of money, Ernst said.
The suspect was described as 5-foot-10-inches to 6-foot tall with facial hair and a medium build. A witness in the area gave police the description of the truck and informed them of a second suspect inside the newer model truck. Authorities have no description for the second suspect.
The female clerk immediately called 911 and reported the robbery. The incident left her shaken, Ernest said.
"We spoke to her last night, and she was upset, but doing well," he said.
Ernst said the police department has shared the robbery information with area law enforcement agencies to help nab the suspects. Authorities also are checking with neighboring businesses to see if the suspects or their vehicle were caught on area security cameras.
"I think video is key and our best option to finding them," he said.
Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call police at 419-394-2325.
The last armed robbery in the city took place in May 2006 across the street from the gas station at a now closed branch of Community First Bank & Trust. Celina native Travis Smith was arrested in Marion three days after the robbery following a 15-month crime spree. He was sentenced to a total of 40 years in prison, including a 30-year prison sentence handed down in the Auglaize County court.
Videotape from another St. Marys business helped police and FBI identify Smith and the vehicle he was driving during the local bank robbery.
