Half-Eaten Hot Dog Submitted for DNA Testing in Greenfield Robbery

GREENFIELD -- A strong-armed robbery attempt involving cash and Newport Cigarettes turned into a struggle with the station's owner - and a half-eaten hot dog.

Greenfield police were dispatched to the Speedway Gas Station on South 60th Street on June 25 on a report of an armed robbery. That call led to the arrest of Miguel Kirkwood, 37, Milwaukee.

According to the criminal complaint, the station's owner told police he was working as a clerk when two black men walked into the store.

Police say the two men asked to purchase a few cartons of Newport cigarettes, but because of a rash of strong-armed robberies involving Newport cigarettes in the area, the station began keeping most cartons in the back storeroom.

When another co-worker went into the storeroom to get the cartons requested by Kirkwood, he was followed into the room by an unknown subject, the complaint said.

When the owner was standing in the front, he noticed Kirkwood was standing watch in the store while eating a hot dog. When the clerk opened the register, Kirkwood reportedly came behind the register and tried to steal money, the complaint said.

At that point, the Speedway owner and Kirkwood got into a physical struggle while Kirkwood tried stealing money and several cartons of cigarettes. Kirkwood dropped some of the cartons of cigarettes - as well as the hot dog he was eating - during the struggle, the complaint said.

Police were able to lift a fingerprint from one of those cartons and found that the prints matched those of Kirkwood. The DNA testing on the hot dog is still pending. Police managed to take Kirkwood into custody and recommend charges for the apparent crime.

Kirkwood has been charged with Robbery (use of force) party to a crime. If convicted, he could face maximums of 15 years imprisonment or $50,000 in fines, or both.