The latest armed robbery happened late Monday when a clean shaven freckle-faced black man, wearing a white T-shirt and dark clothing, walked into the Temple News Inc., also known as Pooh’s, at 315 E. Central Ave., pulled out a gun and demanded money.
He ran from the store and climbed into the passenger seat of a blue or black Chrysler 300.
The robbery at Pooh’s was the second since Nov. 26, Temple Police spokesman Sgt. Allen Teston said.
In the first robbery, a man robbed the convenience store at gunpoint and left on foot, headed south. The first suspect was described as a black man, thin to medium build, 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, wearing a black do-rag, black jacket, blue jeans and white shoes.
The second robbery suspect was also a black man, but he was described as being between 5-10 and 5-11 and about 180 pounds.
According to the victim from the most recent robbery, the suspect entered the store, displayed a handgun and said he wanted the money. He then went around behind the counter and took an undisclosed amount of cash.
There are slight differences in the build, and in the latest robbery the man got away in the blue or black Chrysler 300 as opposed to leaving on foot.
Even so, Teston said they might be linked.
“The descriptions in height and weight are similar, but in this latest robbery there is more detail,” he said. “That may be the only indication that this is the same person.”
Meanwhile, staff and employees at other area businesses are not taking any chances.
“With all the stuff going around,” the Dairy Queen on 31st Street is among local businesses taking precautions, employee Raymond Collins said.
The Wendy’s restaurant on SW HK Dodgen Loop is “definitely” increasing awareness among its employees, manager Lana Biller said. “We’re not going out the back door … employees are wearing headsets when they go outside,” Biller said.
Still, incidents happen.
Last week a woman suffered scrapes and bruises to her knees after her purse was snatched as she left a Seventh Avenue church.
Three days later the Summit convenience store was robbed at gunpoint by a young black man who got away on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Authorities said while those robberies occurred in the same general vicinity of one another, they are not linked.
Meanwhile, a string of earlier robberies, which occurred in the area of 31st Street last month near Interstate 35 may also be unrelated, but that fact is still being investigated, Teston said.
The incidents include a robbery at Taco Bell at 1508 W. Adams Ave. at about 10:15 p.m. Nov. 13, when two men wearing masks and carrying handguns robbed the fast-food eatery and then escaped with a handful of cash through an alley toward H-E-B, according to police.
Four days later, officers were called to the Cefco Convenience store in the 1200 block of West Adams Avenue, early the morning of Nov. 17 for a robbery.
Temple Police spokesman Sgt. Brad Hunt said the robbery suspect entered the store and walked over to the clerk’s counter where the cash register is located. He then threatened the clerk before he escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash.
According to the department press release, persons of interest have been identified in some of those cases, but Teston said that information, or any other leads in these cases, was not available.
However, there has been some headway.
Authorities on Dec. 3 apprehended one suspect in Waco wanted in connection with the Nov. 10 armed robbery of the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant.
Kamari K. Harp, 23, a former KFC employee, was arrested after U.S. marshals cornered him at Providence Hospital following a brief foot chase.
Regardless, police began enhancing their patrols of those areas, as well as shopping malls and other high-traffic areas during the Christmas shopping season.
“We’re increasing our visibility,” Teston said. “Officers are diligently checking those convenience stores in those areas, or those restaurants in those areas more regularly throughout their shifts, and that’s primarily what we’re doing. We’re putting a focus on coming by there more often and checking those out.”
Collins said he has noticed more patrols around the Dairy Queen by both mall security and Temple police.
Anyone with information on any of these robberies is encouraged to contact the Temple Police Department general investigations unit at (254) 298-5510.
In addition, residents are encouraged to protect themselves:
n By being aware of their surroundings.
n Report suspicious activity (especially near restaurants and convenience stores).
n Use common sense regarding personal safety.
- Tammy Leytham contributed to this report
