Police investigating armed robbery on Shorter Avenue

Rome police investigators are examining evidence to see if a recent armed robbery this past Saturday on Shorter Avenue is connected to similar crimes.

“We’ve had four reported armed robberies in January,” said Rome Police Department Assistant Chief Debbie Burnett. “We are investigating these and looking for any similarities in them. The public is encouraged to call us at 706-238-5111 or leave tips on our online form at ROMEGA.US.”

According to Rome Police Department reports:

Two men in black hooded clothing and wearing masks entered the Latino Food Market at 702 Shorter Ave. and stole cash from the register as well as two bank money bags, approximately $5,100 in all. The cashier stated one of the robbers had a rifle, which he described as a machine gun.

Earlier this month, on Jan. 10, the Mi Tienda convenience store was robbed at gunpoint. In that incident, the cashier attempted to disarm the gunman during a struggle.

Police are also looking into other incidents where thieves broke into convenience stores along Shorter Avenue recently.

On Jan. 17, a convenience store on the 1900 block of Shorter Avenue was burglarized.

Thieves used a crowbar to open up the back door. They stole an estimated $1,200 in lottery tickets and $3,500 in cash from the store and $1,625 in tobacco products.

Cheers Liquors on Shorter Avenue was burglarized in early November, with the front door and window being smashed with a rock. The thieves stole $500 worth of lottery tickets and did approximately $1,500 worth of damage to the store’s door and windows.