ROBBERY AT MOUNT DORA STORE SIMILAR TO RECENT MC DONALD'S CRIME

(File photo, Mount Dora Buzz)

Mount Dora Police are investigating an armed robbery that happened at the Dollar General at 3850 State Road 19A at approximately 9:55 p.m. on May 20. 

Police responded to a report of an armed robber that entered after all the customers had left.  There were two employees in the store at the time of the robbery.   

A man dressed in all black and wearing a face mask entered the store after all the customers had left and jumped over the counter and pointed a black and silver semi-automatic handgun at the clerk while demanding money.   There were two employees in the store.   The clerk was unable to open the safe and was ordered to lay on the floor while a male employee came to the front. 

The suspect demanded the safe to be opened, however a timer prevented access. The suspect, described as a slim black male between 5'3" and 5'5", took cash from the register and fled the store.

Another male was seen at the front of the store with his face covered.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the search with a K9, where a scent was tracked east towards 3719 Lake Center Drive before it was lost.  

Police are investigating whether this robbery is connected to the recent McDonald’s robberies.   In the two most recent crimes, the suspects were black males wearing all black, demanded victims lay on the floor, sought money from a safe, used small handguns and initially fled on foot.  There have been no arrests in either robbery. 

Detectives are also working with other police agencies to determine if the robberies are linked to other crimes.

If anyone knows anything, they are asked to call the Mount Dora Police Department at 352-735- 7130 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.

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