VHPD investigators searching for suspect in armed robberies

On Thursday, March 26, VHPD received a report of an armed robbery that had just occurred in the parking deck of the Vestavia City Center. The victim reported that he was sitting in his vehicle when he was approached by an armed black male, who asked the victim to “give me everything you got.” According to the victim, he was able to convince the armed subject that he didn’t have anything to steal. The subject looked around the victim’s vehicle for a few seconds then fled on foot in the parking deck. The victim described the black male as being 16-21 years of age, clean shaven, close cropped hair, wearing a gray sweatshirt with some unknown logo on the front and blue jeans. The victim described the weapon as a semi-automatic pistol dark in color, medium sized. The victim stated that he heard a vehicle crank but did not see a vehicle leave the parking deck before he drove away to a safer area to call police.

Shortly after, the VHPD received a report of another armed robbery in the parking lot in the 400 block of Vestavia Parkway. This victim reported that she was sitting in her vehicle on the phone, an armed black male approached her vehicle knocking on the window and stating “I want everything.” The victim gave the suspect the phone she was talking on, along with a small amount of cash and several credit/debit cards. The suspect then ran from the vehicle toward Vestavia Parkway from the parking lot. The victim described this suspect as wearing an orange shirt tucked into blue jeans with a dark colored belt. She also described the gun as a medium sized semi-auto, dark in color. Victim ran inside an office building to call police and did not notice any potential suspect vehicle.

The second victim's debit card was used approximately 10 minutes after the robbery, at Compass Bank on U.S. 31 in Hoover. The images are from Compass, showing the suspect using the stolen card. This subject doesn’t fit the clothing description of either of the robbery suspects as seen by the two victims, so the police believe the potential exists for at least three people to be involved. Due to how quickly they were able to use the victim’s card, there also has to be a vehicle involved, but neither victim saw one.

If you have any information in regard to the identity of the person in the above photo, please call Sgt. Robert Owens at 978-0129. You can also text an anonymous tip to us at 274637 (CRIMES), keyword VHPD.

-Submitted by the Vestavia Hills Police Department