An armed and masked man robbed a Break Time convenience store on 900 Conley Road on Tuesday morning.
Officers were dispatched to the store after reports of an armed robbery on the scene at 3:11 a.m., according to a Columbia Police Department press release.
“At the time of the robbery, only he and the clerk were in the store,” CPD spokeswoman Latisha Stroer said. “He was wielding a handgun, approached the clerk and demanded all the money in the register.”
The man then took the money and fled west on foot. Although no one was injured in the encounter, the cashier was unable to get a clear glimpse of the criminal, as he was wearing all-black attire, including a stocking cap and mask, according to the press release.
Because of his attire, his race and facial appearance are both unknown. However, police have identified the suspect as tall (around 6’2”) and skinny. Stroer said that although not much is currently known, the investigation is ongoing.
Although Stroer said that this is the first robbery of this Break Time this year, robbery is not new to the Columbia area. From 2010 to 2011, there was a rise from 131 to 166 counts of robbery, according to city data.