Tale of FOUR OH Cities: Three posted business robbed; Armed Toledo clerk defends

June 17, 2004
WHIOtv.com

Man Robs Kroger Store, Assaults Guard

DAYTON, Ohio -- Dayton police are searching for a man who allegedly shoplifted from a local grocery store and then assaulted a security officer. The incident happened at the Kroger store on Wayne Avenue on Wednesday.

Officers said the man was caught stealing a lighter and then assaulted the guard as he fled the scene.

Medics took the guard to a local hospital for minor injuries.

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June 15, 2004
Akron Beacon Journal

Akron BP robbed, clerk repeatedly pistol-whipped

AKRON - A 36-year-old Akron man has been charged with robbing an East Avenue store Sunday.

Lorenzo Grayson is being held in the Summit County Jail on one count of aggravated robbery and two counts of assault. No bond has been set.

Police said a man entered the Duke and Duchess in the 2200 block of East Avenue about 3:40 a.m. Sunday and asked for water for his car. When the clerk opened a backroom door, the robber grabbed her, showed a gun and demanded money, police said.

The woman struggled with the gunman. A second woman who worked at the store came to the aid of the clerk, and the robber struck her repeatedly on the head with his gun, police said. The woman was not seriously injured.

Police said the robber fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money from the cash register.

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June 16, 2004
Portsmouth Daily Times

Broad daylight robbery at Fifth-Third Bank

A Portsmouth man is wanted in connection with a broad daylight robbery of a
bank in downtown Portsmouth on Tuesday.
Around 10:15 a.m., the Portsmouth Police Department received a call about a
robbery at the Fifth Third Bank Drive-Thru in the 800 block of Seventh
Street.

Detectives and patrol officers have identified the suspect as Quinten L.
Hamrick, 24, of Portsmouth. A felony aggravated robbery arrest warrant has
been issued for him. Police say Hamrick has a past history of robbery and
using firearms.

“We believe he is still in the Portsmouth area,” Lt. Lynn Brewer said,
adding Hamrick should be considered armed and dangerous.

According to a police report, bank employees told officers a black male
entered the lobby and waited until all the other customers left.

He then approached the teller and handed her a note saying it was a robbery
and not to do anything “dumb,” according to police.

The report said that the man had his hand in his pocket to indicate to the
teller that he had a gun.

The teller gave the man the money in the drawer and he fled the bank,
heading west on Sixth Street.

Commentary:
Not all southwest Ohio Krogers have removed their signs. The store at 1555 Wayne Ave. is still disarming customers at the door, and advertising this fact to would-be criminals looking for an easy score.

Duke and Duchess BP convenience stores have been reported to OFCC as posted throughout northeast Ohio. Reports began coming in last week that some have taken down their signs. It is not known if a sign was up at this store when the robbery occurred, but this much IS known - it would not have made any difference.

Fifth Third Banks have posted throughout the state of Ohio, but customer service reps in Michigan have told callers that they are unaware of any signs in that state.

Meanwhile, in a Toledo store which allows customers and employees to exercise their human right of self-protection by bearing arms, a different outcome resulted when a robber demanded cash from an armed clerk (click "Read More...)

June 15, 2004
WTOL.com Toledo (CBS)

Store Clerk Turns The Table On Would-Be Crook

TOLEDO--A Toledo convenience store clerk turned the tables on a guy who wanted to rob his place. The clerk pulled a gun from behind the counter last weekend and the would-be robber left without any money.

News 11 found out that clerk is not alone. "Something' isn't right." That's what Sylvania Food Mart clerk Jeffery Smith thought when he saw a man acting strangely in the store on Saturday.

The guy pretended to have a gun in his pocket and told Smith to give him money, but Smith pulled out a real gun from behind the counter instead. "When he seen the gun his eyes got real big and I said 'Now...let's see what you know," Smith told us.

The crook ran away. Smith said if he didn't have that gun, he would have had to give up the cash but, "9 times out of 10 these thieves now a days they don't have no mercy even if you cooperate...you see they get shot...people get shot and that...just like the lady over there."

He's referring to Tamara's carryout in north Toledo in January where robbers shot and killed 47 year-old Misada Shulan. Smith said there needs to be a change. "We gotta come up with somethin' better," Smith told News 11. "Some kind of solution so there's not so much crime like this going on," he added.

Some owners have their own solution. We did a survey of stores in north, west and central Toledo. We talked with a dozen carry outs or convenience stores where workers told us at least half of them have a gun and or a weapon.

Some have more than one. Why? "Your back's against the wall," said Smith. Smith went on to tell us he feels a little safer with a gun around and he wants the message to hit home with criminals.

"I hope they learn they better expect the unexpected because we're getting tired of this too," Smith said. We asked Smith if the new concealed carry law in Ohio will help store clerks. He said it would permit more people to have them.

That could help with the un-expected factor he talked about earlier. Toledo's police Chief Mike Navarre said he teaches small business owners not to have a gun.

He told News 11 he wants owners to comply with criminals because anytime you have more guns in a tense situation, the better the chance of people getting shot and it's just not worth it. Chief Navarre also said even though it puts a smile on his face when a robbery is thwarted, he never encourages people to have a gun handy in their store.