Suspect sought in Thursday robbery

By LPR Staff

Editor/POST-REGISTER

Lockhart police are searching for leads and a suspect in connection with a robbery at a local convenience store last Thursday night.

Just after 11 p.m. on June 12, police were dispatched to the Exxon station at 112 S. Colorado St., where an armed suspect had just committed a robbery. Upon arrival and interv

iewing the store’s clerk, police learned the suspect had entered the store with a knife in each hand and a gun prominently displayed in his waistband, demanding the money in the register.

After the clerk emptied the register of cash, the suspect fled the scene.

Surveillance equipment from surrounding buildings showed that the suspect was only “moments ahead” of police as they searched the neighborhood for him, utilizing not only officers on the ground, but an air search conducted by an Austin Police Department helicopter; the suspect was ultimately able to evade officers in their search.

The suspect was described as a male, possibly Hispanic or African-American. Because he was wearing a hooded-style sweatshirt with the hood pulled tightly around his face, the clerk said he was unable to see anything but the suspect’s eyes and the tip of his nose, and could therefore not offer a better description.

Another witness, who was hiding in the store at the time of the robbery, confirmed the clerk’s statement.

In a string of what might be related incidents, police also responded to reports of at least five car burglaries in the neighborhood near the store. Also, a resident reported that his car, which had been unlocked with the keys left inside, was stolen. The vehicle was later recovered, having been crashed in Lockhart City Park.

The car theft was reported moments before the store was robbed, and though there is speculation that the incidents might be related, the investigation could not confirm whether the same suspect or suspects are involved.

Additionally, during the search for the robbery suspect, the police made contact with and later arrested a man who was seen hiding under cars in the neighborhood near where the car burglaries and car theft had occurred. It was determined that the subject arrested had other intentions in the neighborhood, but was not involved in the robbery.

Anyone with information leading to an arrest in these or any other similar incidents is encouraged to contact the Lockhart Police Department at (512) 398-4401.