Gunman robs convenience store

Just after midnight, a man in a Tampa Bay Rays shirt walked up to a convenience store counter and asked for a pack of cigarettes. When the clerk turned back around, the man was holding a gun.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office needs help identifying the armed man who robbed the RaceTrac gas station located at 410 N. Tamiami Trail early Sunday.

After the man showed his gun, he asked the clerk for cash. He was given an unknown amount and he walked out of the store and headed northbound toward Spencer Avenue. K-9 deputies sniffed the area and aviation units looked from high above, but no one was unable to find him.

The man is described as in his late 20s or early 30s, about 5-feet 8-inches, about 170 pounds and had a short brown beard. At the time, he was wearing camouflage shorts, a beige hat and loafers.

Anyone with information on the incident can contact the Criminal Investigations Section at 941-861-1726.

This story was originally published June 26, 2017 at 1:26 PM with the headline "Gunman robs convenience store."