COLUMBUS, Ohio – Columbus police think they have a serial armed robber on their hands, though his crime spree nearly came to an end Tuesday night at the hands of a convenience store clerk.
They are on the lookout for a man suspected in eight armed robberies across central Ohio over the past month, most recently a store on Karl Road, where he escaped with cash and his life after the clerk shot at him.
Investigators say the suspect has also hit stores in Grove City, Bexley, Whitehall and Harrisburg and is the suspect in an armed robbery at the Trabue Food Mart, 4111 Trabue Road, on Sunday where he was caught on a surveillance camera (above). He is described as being in his 20s or early 30s, 5’10”/ 180lbs., with a mustache and goatee, Robbery Unit detectives said.
Detectives say the man walked into the Karl Rd. Market, 3663 Karl Road, just before 9:00 Tuesday night and asked the clerk for an item behind the register. When the clerk turned back to ring up the item, police say the suspect produced a small handgun and demanded the cash from the register.
The clerk handed the suspect some money and the suspect took the rest and started out the door. As he was leaving, investigators say he turned back towards the clerk and pointed his gun at him.
Fearing he was going to be shot, the clerk grabbed the store’s handgun and fired several shots at the suspect as he ran southbound on Karl Rd, police said.
Police say there have been no reported shooting victims at local hospitals.
If anyone has any information, they are asked to call the Robbery Squad at 614-645-4665, or Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477.