BPD sees link between two Wednesday night stick-ups, Twin-City businesses hit by seven robberies in 12 days

Bloomington Police
Bloomington Police are investigating two armed robberies reported about eight minutes apart on the city’s southeast side. (Facebook/Bloomington Police)

 

By Howard Packowitz

Investigators see a possible connection in a pair of armed robberies that happened Wednesday night on Bloomington’s southeast side, which are the latest in a total of seven armed hold-ups in the Twin-Cities since December 14.

Wednesday’s night’s first report came in about 9:30 p.m. at Little Caesars Pizza at 2507 E. Oakland Ave., and BPD received a report eight minutes later of a robbery at CVS Pharmacy at 1130 S. Veterans Pkwy.

Police have similar suspect descriptions in both cases. Investigators are looking for a black male with a silver handgun, 5′ 8″ to 5′ 10″ tall, wearing a partial face mask, a black hoodie, and dark pants.

Police said there were no serious injuries, and no shots fired in either case. However, it was not immediately clear whether the suspect or suspects made off with any money.

Of the seven armed robberies that have happened in Bloomington-Normal over a 12 day period, police have made arrests in one of those cases.

Anyone with information about the Little Caesars and CVS robberies are asked to call BPD at 309-820-8888 or McLean County Crime Stoppers at 309-828-1111.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…