Austin police are seeking a suspect in an armed robbery early Sunday morning.

Monday, August 21, 2000

Austin police are seeking a suspect in an armed robbery early Sunday morning.

A night clerk at the Sinclair gas station and convenience store on Main Street North ran from the business as the thief was taking her to a back room with a gun in his hand.

She made it outside the store, but was caught by the robber and forced to lie in weeds along the Cedar River after being made to remove her shoes and a smock.

The 44-year-old woman was uninjured and gave police officers a detailed description of the robber.

According to an Austin Police Department report, police were notified of the gunpoint robbery when an alarm in the store was activated at 3:05 a.m. Sunday.

The 24-hour business is located at the intersection of Main Street North and 11th Avenue NE.

A surveillance tape captured the dramatic action on film and matches the description given by the night clerk.

The suspect is described as a black male, 5 feet 2 inches tall, slender build and in his early 20s. He also is described as clean shaven and wearing a cap with a black-hooded windbreaker with white stripes on its sleeves as well as dark pants.

The robber ran from the store with $404 in cash and $80 in checks.

When Austin police officers arrived at the scene, the clerk was visibly shaken, according to the report. She calmed and told officers about the crime.

"The man was armed with what she described as a large handgun, dark in color, and told her ‘This is a holdup’ and that he definitely was willing to use it," Austin Police Chief Paul M. Philipp said.

When the woman failed to empty the cash register fast enough, the robber pulled the cash drawer out of the machine and emptied it himself. Then he attempted to lead the clerk into an office in back, but the woman, following the robber, ran from the store and into the parking lot outside.

The robber caught up with her, grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to the riverbank, where he took her shoes and smock and told her to stay there for 20 minutes.

After he ran off, the woman crawled from the weeds and walked back to the gas station, where police officers had just arrived.

Today, police are reviewing the surveillance tape and continuing their investigation, according to the police chief.