Another Armed Repetition?

NBC 4: CPD said investigators think seven recent armed robberies, including two Thursday, were committed by the same suspect. Seven businesses have been robbed at gunpoint in less than a week, and CPD said it thinks a serial robber is behind all of the crimes. In fact, three robberies took place in one day, CPD said.

The first in the series happened last Friday at Starbucks coffee shop at 350 S. Third St. CPD said the same German Village coffee shop also was hit Thursday morning and by the same suspect. A male suspect entered the Starbucks coffee shop at 350 S. Third St. at about 6:10 a.m. Friday, June 13.

CPD said the suspect approached an employee, pointed a sawed-off shotgun at her and demanded cash. He fled the scene with cash from the register, police said. There were three robberies last Saturday: 7-Eleven convenience store at 2481 Petzinger Rd., a drug store at 2940 Groveport Rd. and a Certified station at 1093 Frank Rd.

A Marathon station at 1690 S. High St. was robbed Monday. Two more businesses were robbed Thursday morning: a Tee Jayes Country Place Restaurant at 1335 Parsons Ave. and the Starbucks on South Third Street. The details about the second robbery (on Thursday) at the coffee shop nearly were identical to the first. The only difference was the suspect was wearing a black wig instead of a knit cap.

The suspect was described as a white male who is between the ages of 30 and 35. He is between 5 feet 8 inches and 6 feet 1 inch tall. He weighs about 150 pounds and was described as “very skinny.”

He has light-colored eyes and some facial hair. The firearm was described as a sawed-off shotgun with a pistol grip. Anyone with information was encouraged to call CPD’s robbery squad at 614-645-4674 or contact Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-645-TIPS.