10th case since Oct. 10

A masked gunman menaced customers and a Dollar General employee Friday morning when he robbed the business. It was the 10th Dollar General robbery since Oct. 10 and one of more than two dozen robberies within the past few months.

In the latest robbery, the suspect entered the Dollar General at 4885 W. County Road 326, jumped the counter, pointed a firearm in the face of the employee and demanded money.

The robber took an undetermined amount of cash and ran. Marion County Sheriff’s deputies and K-9 units, who received the call at 9:58 a.m., raced to the store, which is just west of Interstate 75, and searched the nearby woods. No suspect was found.

Officials from the Sheriff’s Office and the Ocala Police Department said Friday it’s too soon to tell if this robbery is connected to any of the other hold-ups.

Since Sept. 1 there have been 26 robberies in Marion, including 10 at Dollar General stores. The others have been at internet cafes, gas stations and convenience stores.

On Monday, deputies arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with the robbery of the Dollar General in McIntosh. The hunt for his accomplice is still on, and there have been no arrests in the other cases, including the Dollar Generals.

In addition to the robbery on Friday and the McIntosh case, Dollar Generals in Moss Bluff, west Ocala (twice), Belleview, Marion Oaks (twice), south Ocala and Dunnellon have been hit since Oct. 10. They are 38 Dollar Generals countywide.

Officials are also checking to see if two internet cafe robberies in Citrus County are connected to any of the Marion cases.

Crime Stoppers and local law enforcement agencies announced Wednesday that they are offering a combined $9,000 in reward money for information that leads to the arrest of a suspect or suspects in the Dollar General cases. The reward money is tied specifically to the Dollar General robberies.

In all of the cases, the robbers — either acting alone or with others — are brazen and act swiftly. In some instances, the gunman or gunmen have pointed their weapons at the heads of employees and customers. They’ve also threatened to shoot people and have showed they are serious by firing shots in ceilings.

The robbers usually wear dark clothing, travel in twos or are alone, and wear a mask or some type of clothing that covers their faces.

Several customers who were inside the store that was hit Friday expressed fear and frustration about the robbery and have said they don’t plan on shopping at any more Dollar General stores until the robber or robbers are caught.

“It’s scary,” said one of the customers, who did not want to give her name.

That customer said she was in the store when the robber entered and in a flash had jumped the counter and was face-to-face with the cashier. She said the man ordered the cashier twice to give him the money and then left.

A second woman, who also didn’t want to be identified, was in the business with her young son. She said the man pointed the gun in the clerk’s face. She said she told her son, who was shaken, to keep quiet because she did not want him to make any sudden movements.

“I’m worried,” she said. “Something needs to be done.”

She said she was in the store for household items and thought since it was early in the morning, she would be in and out.

“I’m on high alert wherever I go. This is crazy,” she said.

A third woman said the gunman had on some type of mask and believed the robber was about 5 feet 10 tall and slender.

“I was terrified. You don’t expect anything like this to happen in the day,” she said.

Asked to respond to the shoppers' comments, a Dollar General spokeswoman said that "the safety and security of both our employees and customers is a top priority."

She went on to say: "We have partnered with local law enforcement and added additional security measures to our stores in Marion County."

The spokeswoman declined to elaborate. "To not compromise the integrity of added and ongoing security and safety procedures, we do not comment on them specifically."

Anyone with any information about any of these robberies can call the MCSO at 732-9111, the OPD at 369-7000 or Crime Stoppers at 368-7867. Tipsters also can send a text to 274637, using keyword 368-STOP, or visit www.ocalacrimestoppers.com.

— Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb.