HAVERHILL — Police are investigating several robberies, one of which involved a masked man holding a gas station worker at gunpoint.
The gunman took cash and 10 packs of Marlboro cigarettes and then ordered the worker into the back room of the gas station, police said.
The other robberies involved attacks on people walking alone on streets of the city, investigators said. Robbers took a total of $250 in cash from two victims, police said.
In the robbery of the gas station, on Saturday at 9:34 p.m. police were dispatched to the A Plus Prime Energy station at 1208 Boston Road for a report of a robbery. An employee told police he was working the night shift and was behind the counter reading when a man wearing a black ski mask entered the store. The employee said the man pointed a handgun at him and told him to open the cash register and give him all the money, then ordered the worker to give him money from the lottery.
The employee told police the gunman was carrying a cloth bag and ordered him to put the money and 10 packs of Marlboro 100s in it. The employee said the man then ordered him to shut off the outside lights and go to a back room, which is the office. The employee said the gunman left and, when he came out of the office, he called police. The suspect was described as being between 5 feet, 9 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall and wearing gloves.
On Saturday at 12:51 a.m., police were dispatched to 261 River St. for a report of an unarmed robbery. A woman told police she was walking home with a box of pizza when a man dressed in blue ran past her. The woman said that within a very short time a man dressed in black grabbed the box of pizza from her and also took her wallet containing her license and $150 in cash.
The woman told police she was not injured and that no weapon was shown to her. Police searched the area but were unable to find a suspect.
Later that same morning, police were dispatched to the area of High and Hancock streets about 2:45 a.m for a report of a robbery. The victim, who met police at the intersection of Washington and Varnum streets, said he was walking up High Street when he noticed a group of six men walking behind him.
The man told police he turned onto Varnum Street, where a friend of his lives, then was knocked down from behind and repeatedly kicked. The man said his wallet containing $100, a debit card and his driver’s license was taken from him. An ambulance was called to the scene, but the man refused treatment. The man told police he did not know any of his attackers. Police searched the area but did not find any suspects.
Police Deputy Chief Donald Thompson said that as of yesterday afternoon the three incident were still being investigated. He said it is unknown whether there is any connection between the three robberies.
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