Hamilton cops investigating string of robberies

HAMILTON » Armed bandits held up another gas station in the township for the third time in two weeks, police said.

Police believe the holdup of the Gulf Gas Station on the 1100 block of Chambers Street early Tuesday morning may be connected to robberies at two township 7-Eleven convenience stores this month.

“There may be some correlation with the robberies,” Lt. Michael Kelvy said. “We’re not sure. We’re taking a look at them. There seems to be a similar description on clothing with two of the jobs.”

Police said the men entered the gas station and demanded money before they fled down Chambers Street toward Cedar Lane. No one was injured in the armed heist as the suspects made off with an unknown amount of cash.

One of the suspects wore the same garb described in one of the 7-Eleven heists, a black “True Religion” sweatshirt, while holding up the Gulf Gas Station, which happened around 3:15 a.m.

Cops in news releases have described the suspects in the three robberies as two black men who wore ski masks, gloves and carried guns.

One of the suspects who robbed the Gulf gas station is 5 feet 9 inches tall, about 200 pounds, around 20 to 25 years old, wearing a black hooded “True Religion” sweater, which had gold print on the back of the sweatshirt, black pants and a ski mask, cops said. He was armed with a black handgun, cops said.

The second suspect was roughly 17 to 20 years old, 5 feet, 9 inches and 185 pounds, cops said. He wore a ski mask to hide his face, black leather jacket, black hooded sweatshirt, black pants and black gloves, cops said.

Cops are also investigating robberies of two 7-Eleven convenience stores that occurred Jan. 4 and Jan. 10, the first happening at on the 500 block of Lalor Street and a second six days later on the 900 block of Arena Drive.

One of the robberies occurred the same week federal immigration officials descended upon the convenience stores as part of a 17-state roundup, netting 21 arrests, which included the storming of 7-Elevens in New Jersey.

ICE officials didn’t visit either of the township convenience stories, workers said.

The two suspects in those robberies also wore ski masks and had guns, and cops said they were dressed similarly.

One of the suspects wore a gray hooded sweatshirt with white rings on the sleeves, gray sweatpants, black sneakers, black gloves, a ski mask and had a black handgun.

Police said the other man wore a black hooded sweatshirt, black sweatpants, black and white sneakers, black gloves, a ski mask and a silver handgun.

During the second robbery, the suspects had switched up their gear a bit. One of the men wore a black hooded coat with fur around the neck while the other man was in a black hooded sweatshirt with a gold “U” on the front chest and a gold “True Religion” with a gold Buddha on the back of the sweatshirt, police said.

Those with information about the robberies are asked to call Detective Frank Burger at 6095814010 or the Hamilton Police Crime Tip Hotline at 609-5814008.