Suspect still being sought after armed robbery in Pillager
Authorities late Tuesday afternoon were still looking for the suspect in Monday's robbery of the Pillsbury Junction convenience store along Highway 210 at Cass County Road 1 near downtown Pillager.
The clerk at the store told Cass County sheriff's deputies that about 8 p.m. Monday a man wearing a ski mask entered the store, brandished a semi-automatic handgun and robbed the clerk of an undisclosed amount of money. He then fled the store on foot.
Law enforcement officers from several agencies responded and, based on a track picked up by a K-9 officer, surrounded a nearby house while a search warrant was obtained. Before the search warrant arrived, officers were given consent to search the house and found nothing in connection to the robbery, Cass County Sheriff Randy Fisher said.
Cass County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Tom Burch said the K-9 officer might have been attracted to the house because the suspect passed by.
Pillsbury Junction in Pillager was open for business Tuesday, a day after a man brandishing a gun robbed the store. As of late Tuesday law enforcement officers were still looking for the suspect. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
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Investigators spent Monday night and Tuesday morning interviewing possible witnesses and searching for more evidence. As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, nothing had led them closer to the suspect, Burch said.
Fisher said it wasn't known if a vehicle was involved in the robbery and Burch said it wasn't known if an accomplice was involved.
Both Fisher and Pillager Mayor Gary Greenheck said they couldn't recall the last time an armed robbery took place in the city.
Assisting the sheriff's department Monday night were the Pillager, Motley and Randall police departments; the Morrison County Sheriff's Department; and the State Patrol.
Burch said most everyone by Tuesday in Pillager knew of the robbery, especially because a State Patrol helicopter hovered over the city Monday night to assist in the search for the suspect.
Public knowledge of the incident could work to investigators' advantage, Burch said.
"It gives us more eyes and ears on the case," Burch said. "If people, if anyone, has seen or heard something suspicious it gives us an opportunity to look at other things involved."
Within an hour of the robbery being reported the sheriff's department began receiving tips, Burch said. He hopes that more people will call in to report activity from Monday night, such as someone walking the streets or from someone driving past the store, regardless if it seemed suspicious at the time.
The suspect was described as a man between 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall, slim build, in his late teens to early 20s and wearing a green jacket, blue jeans and a black ski mask.
Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call the Cass County Sheriff's Department at (218) 547-1424 or (800) 450-2677.
MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.