LENEXA, Kan. — Police in Johnson County are investigating whether three early morning convenience store robberies are related. Police say it’s fortunate that no one was hurt in any of the robbery attempts. Still, in one case, the suspect did brandish a box-cutter type knife and police want to get him off the street before he tries to hold up any more convenience stores.
“Money can be replaced,” said Dan Friesen of the Lenexa Police. “Cigarettes can be replaced, a life is a different story.”
Surveillance video from JB’s One Stop on 95th Street shows the suspect entering the store about 4:15 a.m. He asked for some cigarettes and then demanded cash from the clerk. Police say the robber never displayed a weapon and instead of opening the cash register, the clerk pulls out his cellphone and calls 911. The robber then leaves in a red two-door early 90s car.
Standing up to a robber is not something that police recommend, Friesen said. The store manager called it a frightening few moments.
“He was extremely shook up,” said Diana Conard, assistant manager at JB’s One Stop. “But I have to commend him for his bravery. I don’t know that I would have done the same thing. Yeah, he was really shook up. You just never know what somebody is going to do.”
Two hours earlier, police in Mission responded to a similar robbery where a similar suspect held up a Quik Trip near I-35 and Lamar. Again police say the man never displayed a weapon.
And shortly after the robbery attempt at JB’s, police say the same man showed up at a Quik Trip at College and Pflumm. Friesen says this time he took out a box-cutter type of knife and got away with some cash and cigarettes. Again, no one was hurt.
If you can help police identify the man in the photos and video shown here, please call the TIPS Hotline at 816.474.TIPS. Up to a $1,000 reward is available for information that leads to an arrest.
