A man wearing a green wig and armed with a machete robbed two convenience stores in Lancaster city and another in Manheim Township early Tuesday morning, police said.

Jaime Antonio Rodriguez, 19, of the 200 block of East Filbert Street, robbed the Turkey Hill store at 460 S. Duke St. shortly after midnight, city police Lt. Todd Umstead said.

Rodriguez wore a green wig and was described as a "leprechaun-looking male with a machete," city police Sgt. Mark Heiser said.

A clerk told responding police officers a man wearing all black, except for a neon green wig and face mask, said, "I need the money. Put in the bag."

The clerk said the robber lifted up his shirt, revealing the end of what appeared to be a machete or large knife, after making his demand a second time, Umstead said.

"I don't want to have to kill you," the robber said, according to the clerk, who pushed the silent alarm panic button and told the robber she could not open the register unless he bought something.

Rodriguez became frustrated and exited the store, Umstead said.

Police got a call about 10 minutes later saying an armed robber struck a Turkey Hill store at 870 Manor St. in the southwest section of the city.

That store's clerk provided the same description of the robber, Umstead said. The clerk said the robber held a long machete, placed a plastic bag onto the counter and said, "Put the money in the bag."

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The clerk opened the cash register drawer and put a small amount of cash into Rodriguez's bag, Umstead said. Rodriguez asked about another cash register, but the clerk could not get any money out of it. Rodriguez shrugged and left.

Rodriguez targeted a Turkey Hill store northeast of Lancaster at 806 New Holland Ave. just before 2:30 a.m., Manheim Township police Lt. Tom Rudzinski reported. He demanded cash from two store employees while threatening them with a machete. The clerks gave him an undisclosed amount of cash, and he fled on foot.

The description of the robber matched the earlier ones, Umstead said. City and Manheim Township police searched for the robber.

About 30 minutes later, officers saw a person matching the description a block away from the New Holland Avenue store in the 600 block of Fountain Avenue, Umstead said. Police took Rodriguez into custody after a brief struggle and recovered a machete.

Rodriguez was hurt when a police dog helped to apprehend him. No one else was injured, according to police.

Rodriguez admitted to committing the three robberies during an interview with police, Umstead said. Manheim Township and city police charged him with the robberies.

He was arraigned and committed to Lancaster County Prison on $150,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for March 30.

"We are working with police in their investigation of the incidents," said Kim Hertzog of Turkey Hill Minit Markets. She declined further comment on the robberies or any company efforts to thwart them.