Police, Crime Stoppers offer reward in gas station robbery cases

A $6,000 reward is being offered for information on a string of early morning gas station armed robberies involving a man wearing a Redskins hoodie.

The Fairview Heights Police Department is putting up $5,000 and Crime Stoppers has offered an additional $1,000, said Fairview Heights Police Officer Tim Mueller.

On Friday morning, a man wearing a Redskins hoodie robbed the MotoMart at 6114 N. Illinois St.

The clerk was sweeping an aisle at 1:48 a.m. when the suspect came, walked up to the clerk carrying a silver handgun, pushing the gun into the clerk’s back to direct him to the cash registers. The suspect told the clerk to open the cash drawers and then stole an undetermined amount of cash.

The clerk, who was not hurt, described the suspect as a black male, 5-feet, 10-inches tall with a thin build. He was wearing a maroon hoodie with yellow sleeves and hood. Down the left sleeve is printed, “Redskins” in block letters. The front of the hoodie has a Washington Redskins logo embroidered on it. The hood was pulled over the suspect’s head with a red bandana around his face. He was also wearing gray sweatpants and white tennis shoes.

“We have evidence that was collected during this past robbery that is being analyzed by the crime lab,” said Mueller without elaborating.

This was the third time in recent months a person wearing a Redskins hoodie robbed a gas station convenience store in the area.

Fairview Heights also had a man in a Redskins hoodie, red bandana over his face and silver handgun at 12:13 a.m. on Oct. 19 rob the Circle K, 10070 Bunkum Road. The Phillips 66 at 2400 N. Illinois St. in Swansea was robbed at 4:17 a.m. on Sept. 30 by a suspect with a handgun and in a Redskins hoodie, who ordered the clerk and a patron to get behind the counter and took money from the register and the two victims before running away.

There is a concern the suspect may escalate.

“Without being caught there is a possibility of more happening. Each time he’s going to get more comfortable. It always raises the propensity of more violence,” Mueller said. “You’ve got to believe anyone who’s carrying a gun committing a crime like this isn’t afraid to use it.”

Mueller would not disclose the amount of cash taken during the robberies, but said it’s been a significant amount.

Mueller said he would recommend businesses have more than one employee working at a time, if its possible. He also added store clerks should have phones nearby to call for help.

“We would like to see if businesses have multiple entrances, they’re only allowing one entrance to be unlocked,” Mueller said. “It would be great if all convenience stores were completely locked and use a drive up window. I don’t believe that’s going to happen anytime soon. It would be a safer way of conducting business at night.”

“Just keep your heads up and monitor anything closely,” Mueller said.

People with information about these robberies should call Crime Stoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477).

This story was originally published December 19, 2015 at 5:22 PM with the headline "Police, Crime Stoppers offer reward in gas station robbery cases."