Police searching for gas station robbery suspect

At approximately 8:06 p.m. Wednesday, Richmond police received a call of a robbery in progress at the BP gas station at the intersection of Four Mile Road and the Robert R. Martin Bypass.

When officers arrived at the station, employees told them they had been robbed at knifepoint by a white male of small build, about 5 feet, 9 inches tall, according to Sgt. Willard Reardon, police spokesperson.

The suspect was wearing blue jeans, a brown scarf and a brown-and-red toboggan and tried to conceal his identity by wearing sunglasses.

The robber fled on foot in an unknown direction behind the gas station, Reardon said. A police dog was used in an unsuccessful attempt to track the suspect, who got away with an undetermined amount of money.

Richmond police released still shots from the station’s surveillance video camera and asked the public to help identify the suspect. See photo on page A3.

Anyone with information regarding the crime should call the Richmond Police at 623-8911, Reardon said.

Suspect arrested

At about 11 p.m. Wednesday, Richmond Police responded to the call of a robbery in progress at Kohl’s department store, also on the Martin Bypass, about a half mile from the gas station.

When officers arrived, they found Connie R. Garcia, 51, Churchill Drive, inside a parked vehicle by the store, Reardon said.

Store employees identified Garcia as the suspect, the police spokesman said. Employees told investigators she had made statements to a clerk that led the clerk to believe that Garcia was armed, although no weapon was brandished.

The suspect left the store numerous items of jewelry valued at $4,470. Reardon said those items later were recovered from Garcia’s vehicle. No weapon was located, he said.

Garcia was charged with first degree robbery and lodged in the Madison County Detention Center, where she remained Thursday evening on a $10,000 cash bond.

Bill Robinson can be reached at brobinson@

richmondregister.com or

at 624-6622.