Area Police Looking for Links in Recent Robberies Along Busy Corridor

West Des Moines and Clive police think a string of recent robberies in their cities may have been committed by the same person.

“It’s unknown whether the three robberies are connected,” West Des Moines Police Lt. Jim Barrett said in a news release. “However, there are enough similarities that detectives from both cities are collaborating in the investigations.”

The robberies occurred on April 21, April 23 and April 29. In each of the cases, the robberies occurred around closing time when only a couple of employees were working. In one of the cases, a firearm was threatened, but now shown, police said. In another, the suspect displayed a knife.

The suspect is described as a male with a stocky build and standing about 5 feet, 6 inches tall.

In a robbery at Quiznos, 2800 University Ave., on April 23, two employees were still in the store about  9 p.m. when a “shorter man with a gut” walked in the store and announced, “This is a robbery,”  and then pulled a black pistol from a backpack and pointed at her, according to a report on file at the West Des Moines Police Department.

The suspect was wearing dark pants, a dark coat with the hood pulled up, a black ski mask and black leather gloves. The employee said the suspect had blue eyes, suggesting that he was caucasian.

The employee told police that she was “extremely scared” when the suspect announced he was robbing the sandwich shop, and she ran toward the back room, where she and the other employee hid until they were certain he had left the store.

As one of the employees called 911, the other looked out in time to see the suspect fleeing in what she thought was a square-shaped white four-door vehicle, possibly a Cadillac, traveling through the parking lot at a high rate of speed.

A second robbery occurred in West Des Moines on Monday, April 29, at Sally Beauty Supply, 2900 University Ave. In that incident, the suspect was described as a male wearing all black armed with a knife.

The first in the string of robberies occurred at 8:05 p.m. Sunday, April 21, at Caribou Coffee Shop, 12655 University Ave. A man described as a white male in his 40s, wearing a stocking cap and bandana over his face, entered the front door of the store shortly after closing time and demanded cash.

He reportedly had  a paper sack over his left hand, possibly concealing a weapon, and then fled out the front door carrying three blue money bags with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Anyone with information concerning these cases is asked to contact Polk County Crime Stoppers which is offering a reward of up to $1,000 is being offered for  information leading to the arrest of the person or persons  involved in these incidents. Tips may be anonymously reported by calling (515) 223-1400, submitted online at polkcountycrimestoppers.org or via cell phone text. Start a tip with the word PCCS and send it to 274637.

What can you do?

A flyer being distributed to businesses offers the following tips:

• Make employees aware that the incidents are occurring;  this increases their alertness.
• Have employees greet everyone who comes into the store. A friendly greeting can be a deterrent to a potential robber.
• Use good cash-handling procedures and limit the amount of money maintained in the register. Regular cash drops of excess funds will reduce your financial losses.
• Follow opening and closing procedures which should include more than one employee working during any given time-frame. If evening night deposit drops are part of your closing procedures, have two employees involved in the bank drop.
• If a crime does occur, stay calm and follow the demands of the robber.
• Be a good witness. Attempt to remember as much information regarding the robber’s personal appearance, vehicle observations, and direction of travel.
• Immediately contact your local law enforcement if a robbery does occur or if you observe any suspicious activity.

The West Des Moines Police Department’s Community Outreach Unit offers Robbery Prevention Training to West Des Moines businesses. For more information on Robbery Prevention, contact Officer Jeff Hartshorn at  (515) 222-3333 or jeff.hartshorn@wdm.iowa.gov.

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