South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Thief hit smoke shop twice and now 2 agencies want to nab him
He changed his outfit but not his method.
Investigators think the same man robbed The Smoke House Smoke Shop in Fort Lauderdale twice — dressed differently both times but each time pointing a handgun at an employee and demanding money from the cash register.
Now, Fort Lauderdale police and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are jointly investigating the crimes. A $2,500 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.
The ATF is involved because its primary mission is to combat firearm-related violent crimes and it frequently partners with local law enforcement agencies as part of that mission, officials said.
The first robbery of the shop at 1952 E. Sunrise Blvd. happened approximately 10:30 p.m. June 28 and the second happened about the same time on July 16. Each time, the thief grabbed cash and got away.
During the June robbery, the man wore a hooded sweatshirt and hat and used sunglasses to conceal his face. When he returned in July he was wearing a hooded black sweatshirt and a blue facemask, police said. He is believed to be 25 to 30-years old, about 6 foot 1 inch tall with a medium build.
Investigators ask anyone with in- formation about this robberies or the thief’s identity to contact Fort Lauderdale Police Detective Sean Reddish at 954-828-5676 or ATF Special Agent Christie Schade at 786-717-2261.