WESTBROOK, Maine — Police are looking for an armed robber who used a knife to get cash from the cashier at Art’s Variety on New Year’s Eve, Westbrook police Detective Sgt. John Desjardins stated in an email.
Police were called to the convenience store about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
“The preliminary investigation has revealed that a lone male suspect of average build entered the store wearing a green hooded coat and a scarf over his face. He threatened the store owner with a knife, demanding the money from the register before fleeing on foot with an undetermined amount of cash,” Desjardins said.
The store, located at 158 Spring St., has a surveillance camera and a 42-second video was released by the detective. It shows an employee finishing up vacuuming in the store when the masked robber arrives wearing black gloves demanding cash.
“Give me all the money,” he says.
“Are you serious?” says the man behind the counter.
“Yes. Give me all the money. The money in the drawer. Let’s go,” the robber says.
The man behind the counter hesitates, but when the robber pulls out the knife, he opens the cashier’s drawer and pulls out some cash. In the surveillance video, the robber reaches over the counter and grabs the cash.
“He’s giving it to you, relax. He’s an old man,” a voice, presumedly the person vacuuming, says.
“A Westbrook Police K-9 team was deployed and tracked the suspect a short distance before losing his scent,” Desjardins said. “Westbrook police are releasing the footage in hopes of generating tips from the public as to the suspect’s identity.”
Those with information relating to this case can call Detective Sgt. John Desjardins at 854-0644, ext. 2414, or can leave a message on the department’s anonymous crime tip line at 591-8117.