Aurora police investigate convenience store robberies

Aurora Police are investigating five convenience store robberies that occurred over the past three months that may be related.

About 4:15 a.m. Saturday, a masked man entered the 7-11 in the 600 block of South Frontenac Street. He pointed a handgun at the 28-year-old clerk, grabbed him by the collar and led him to the registers where he demanded money, according to a statement from the Aurora Police Department.

The clerk handed over an undisclosed amount of cash and the suspect ran out the front doors northbound across Ogden Avenue. No injuries were reported, according to the statement.

The suspect is described as 5-foot-8 man with a small to medium build, wearing all black clothes and a black mask.

The same 7-11 was also robbed at about 2:50 a.m. Sept. 3. In that incident, a man with a scarf over his face entered the business armed with a long rifle or shotgun, approached a 36-year-old store employee, pointed the gun at him and demanded money, according to the statement.

The clerk handed over an undisclosed amount of cash before the suspect hit him in the head with the gun and ran out the doors. Aurora Fire Department paramedics treated the clerk on the scene, according to the statement.

The suspect was described as black, standing between 5-foot-10 and 6-foot-2, and weighing between 140-and-170 pounds.

Police are also investigating robberies that occurred in the early morning hours of Nov. 4, Nov. 7, and Oct. 7. Like the 7-11 robberies, the suspects were either masked or concealed their faces with bandanas or scarves, according to the statement.

At approximately 3:30 a.m. Nov. 7, three men robbed the Thornton’s Gas Station in the 2800 block of Ogden Avenue. One of the men was armed with a long gun and one with a handgun, according to the statement.

Upon entering the store, one of the robbers punched a 24-year-old clerk in the face, and then the three led the employee to the register area where they demanded money and the clerk’s cell phone. They made off with an undisclosed amount of cash, the cell phone, a store-owned iPad and other items worth about $1,530. The clerk was treated by paramedics at the scene, according to the statement.

The suspects were all described as black males, standing 6-feet, and weighing between 175 and 210 pounds, according to the statement.

About 3:19 a.m. Nov. 4, two men entered the Circle K Gas Station in the 1500 block of Butterfield Road.

According to the 23-year-old clerk, one of the men threatened him, implied he had a weapon, and demanded money and the clerk’s cellphone. The clerk complied and the men grabbed various items before leaving the store. The men took approximately $1,200 in cash and other items.

The men were described as blacks and both about 5-foot-6. The man who implied he had a weapon weighed about 200 pounds, his accomplice about 150 pounds, according to the statement.

At approximately 1:50 a.m. Oct. 7, a man armed with a long gun approached the 19-year-old male clerk of the Circle K Gas Station in the 2900 block of East New York Street while the employee was outside the business. The suspect directed the clerk inside and demanded money. After getting an undisclosed amount of cash, the suspect ran from the store southbound, according to the statement.

The suspect is described as a 6-feet to 6-foot-2, 150 to 180 pound black male with a medium build and high-pitched voice.

It is not clear if all of the robberies are related but police believe it is a distinct possibility.

Anyone with information is asked to call Aurora Police Investigators at 630-256-5500 or Aurora Area Crime Stoppers at (630) 892-1000.