An investigation is still ongoing into the robberies of two Martinsville restaurants that occurred early in the morning on Friday, August 8.
The first robbery occurred at El Palmar Restaurant Mexican Grill on Bridge Street at 4:50 a.m.
Video from the restaurant showed that around 4:50 a.m. a male suspect wearing a mask, gloves, and dark clothing broke in and took money from two cash registers.
At approximately 6:47 a.m. the second occurred at Tequila’s Sports Bar and Grill on Spruce Street.
“What appears to be the same suspect from the El Palmar break-in, broke into the restaurant and took cash from at least two cash registers,” a Martinsville Police Department release stated.
Martinsville Deputy Chief of Police Maj. Chad Rhoads said the two robberies are related.
“It was the same person in both of the surveillance videos from the stores. They were within 90 minutes or two hours of one another,” he said.
As of August 12, no suspect had been arrested in relation to the robberies.
“We’re following up some leads, we’re actually working with another jurisdiction now who has had similar” break-ins. “It’s another local jurisdiction who has had some restaurant break-ins, and it kind of looks like we’re working with the same suspect,” Rhoads said.
Rhoads said he doesn’t anticipate it will be too long before an arrest is made in connection with the incidents.
He encouraged anyone with information to call the Martinsville Police Department at 276-638-8751 or Crime Stoppers, an anonymous tip line, at 276-632-7463. Crime Stoppers offers rewards of up to $2,500 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in criminal cases.
