Grants Police warn of strong-armed robber

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — Police released a warning to shoppers today informing them of a robber who is deemed armed and dangerous.

Although police described the “strong arm” robber as a male between the ages of 18-23 and about 5-8 to 6 feet tall and of a slim build, the department declined to release other information such as the race of the robber and the locations in Grants where he has robbed at least five individuals between Sept. 29 through Nov. 5.

Grants Police Lt. Maxine Spidle said the department did not release the additional information because the case is under investigation, but wanted to inform the public about the robber so the public would be aware of the situation.

Spidle said the person has developed a pattern of robbing people of money when they are walking into a business “just about the time of day when it is getting dark.”

Do not park in dark, secluded places, try to have a partner when walking from your car to a business and if concerned when leaving the business, ask the business for an escort to your car, she stated in an informational release sent to the Independent today.

“This individual has not used a weapon that we know of, but you can rob someone without having a weapon by using your strength,” she said.

“This person is a ‘strong armed robber,’ and we consider him armed and dangerous,” she said.

Police are asking the public to call one of two telephone numbers, Spidle at Grants Police at (505) 287-2985, ext. 120, or CrimeStoppers at (505) 287-8400.

All calls will be confidential and a reward may be available through CrimeStoppers if the person is arrested from information provided by a caller.

The department did not want to release what businesses were involved or what parts of town, again stating the case is still under investigation.

“Once we catch this guy we will release everything,” Spidle said.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 285-4560 or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.