HIALEAH, Fla. – Police are searching for a man they believe has committed a series of robberies across South Florida in recent weeks, including three in Hialeah.
Sgt. Eddie Rodriguez, a spokesman for the Hialeah Police Department, said the man first struck in Hialeah about 3:15 p.m. Dec. 29 at a Shell Gas Station in the 6400 block of West Fourth Avenue. Armed with a gun, the man demanded an employee empty the cash register, Rodriguez said. The employee handed over the cash, and the man fled on foot, Rodriguez said
The same man struck again about 30 minutes later at a Speedway Gas Station in the 900 block of East 49th Street, Rodriguez said. He again held up an employee at gunpoint and fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash, Rodriguez said.
On that day, security camera video shows that the man wore a wide-brimmed hat and camouflage pants.
The most recent holdup occurred about 7 p.m. Friday when the man robbed at an Advance America branch in the 1900 block of West 35th Street. Rodriguez said the man threatened an employee of the cash advance business, instructing him to hand over all cash on hand. Before the victim could comply the man pistol-whipped the employee for no apparent reason, Rodriguez said. He again fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.
The employee was not seriously hurt.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is assisting the Hialeah police with the investigation and is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect.
Rodriguez said the man is also suspected committing of several other armed robberies elsewhere Miami-Dade County and in Broward County.
Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call the Hialeah Police Department at 305-687-2525 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.