Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
© St. Petersburg Times, published June 13, 2002
TAMPA -- In many ways, each of the recent fast food robberies in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties is identical.
The bandits break in through the restaurant's drive-through windows. They are armed with guns, and sometimes hammers, and drive stolen cars. They hit in the wee hours of the morning, mostly between 1 and 5 a.m.
One thing is different about the most recent robberies, however, and it's deeply troubling to law enforcement.
"We've seen an escalation in violence," said Chief Deputy David Gee of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
None of the employees caught in the robberies has been injured, but authorities said in one recent robbery, a clerk was grabbed and forced to walk to a cash register.
On Wednesday, law enforcement from seven agencies met to compare notes and share leads. Also, Crimestoppers and the Caspers company, which owns dozens of area McDonald's, offered a $5,000 reward to anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the robbers.
There are at least three robbers, if not more, officials said. Not every man has committed every robbery. All are black, between 5 feet 7 and 6 feet. They wear masks or cover their faces with T-shirts. One may have dreadlocks. They drive different stolen cars to each of the robberies.
Authorities have a surveillance photo of one man robbing a McDonald's on Hillsborough Avenue. He is shirtless in the photo and has an extremely muscular build. He may be a weight lifter, Gee said.
Officials aren't saying how much money has been stolen. They suspect the spate of holdups is drug-fueled.
"You're dealing with bandits who don't care if it's $100 or $10," said Tampa police spokesman Joe Durkin. "They want that quick cash flow."
-- Anyone with information about the robberies is asked to call Crimestoppers at (813) 247-8200 or Crimestoppers toll-free at 1-800-873-TIPS.