A gunman struck twice at an adult book store in Miller during the three-day weekend, taking cash from the clerk, Gary police said Tuesday.
After the first stick-up, the masked gunman told the Romantix employee, “I’m sorry, man, I gotta eat,” the police report states.
Both robberies occurred about 4:20 a.m., Saturday and again Monday, police said. Wearing a mask and carrying a handgun, the robber demanded money from the cash register, then left in an unknown direction, police said.
Romantix is located on U.S. 20 just east of Indiana 51. Sgt. Jon Basaldua is investigating both robberies. Police declined to comment on whether the two were committed by the same suspect. In both robberies, about $100 was stolen, police said.
Two other armed robberies were reported, both by non-residents trying to conduct business in the city.
A 46-year-old Hammond woman told police she, her daughter and a friend, went to an address near 20th Place and Clark Road to look at car that had been advertised for sale on the OfferUp website, the police report states. When the trio arrived at the location about 4:30 p.m. Sunday, three men wearing masks and wielding handguns, arrived in the white Chevrolet Impala supposedly for sale for $2,500.
The victim told police she brought cash to the sale after texting “back and forth” with the seller. The police report states that the three men took about $6,000, plus credit cards and cell phones from the victims and fled in the white car. The Hammond woman also said one of the gunman hit her in the head with his weapon. She refused treatment from medics at the scene, police said.
Sgt. Gregory Wolf is investigating that robbery.
And about 3:45 p.m. Monday, a 24-year-old Griffith woman and her 4-year-old daughter were returning to her car from the One Stop convenience store at 45th Avenue and Harrison Street when a woman approached and offered to sell the woman marijuana, the police report states. When the Griffith woman declined, the would-be seller punched her in the face and took the woman’s pink and white wallet, then ran to a green car waiting nearby, the report states. Basaldua is also investigating this robbery.
Anyone with information about any of these armed robberies can call the Gary police Violent Crimes Unit at 219-881-1210.
