Dollar General is second store robbed on same Belleville street
St. Clair County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating the second armed robbery on Centreville Avenue in Belleville in two weeks.
Just after 10 p.m. Sunday, a masked man entered the Dollar General store at 1207 Centreville Ave. and pointed a handgun at the a 20-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman, both employees of the store, Capt. Bruce Fleshren said. The suspect made off with the entire cash drawer.
The amount of cash taken is still undetermined.
The suspect is described as a 6-foot white man wearing a dark jacket, black mask, blue jeans and gloves. According to Fleshren, he was armed with a black handgun and left southbound.. No one was injured.
On Nov. 4, the Belleville Food Mart at 1424 Centreville Ave. also was targeted by an armed robber.
According to the sheriff’s department, the suspect in that case was described as a white man, approximately 5-feet-10-inches to 6-feet tall with a slim build, wearing a dark gray hooded sweatshirt, a black mask and blue jeans. That suspect was also armed with a black hand gun, which he pointed at employees in the store several times.
He left the store southbound on foot with an undisclosed amount of money.
Police believe both crimes may have been committed by the same person, but that has yet to be confirmed, Fleshren said.
“Many times during the holiday season there is an increase in thefts and robberies as criminals believe stores have more money from shoppers, or feel that they need more money,” he said.
Anyone with information, or who can identify the suspect, can contact the sheriff’s department at 618-825-5204.
Editor’s note: This story initially said the robbery was Monday night.
This story was originally published November 19, 2019 at 3:25 PM.
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