Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY -- A man dressed as a clown robbed a 7-Eleven convenience store in South Salt Lake Thursday.
Police say the man entered the convenience store at 420 E. 2700 South with a knife in hand and said to the cashier, "Open the register. I have a knife."
Surveillance video shows a female employee encountering the clown bandit. The employee claimed that she at first thought the suspect was joking, due to his appearance. But she quickly realized that he was serious after he came around the counter and revealed the knife.
The suspect is described as a heavy man, wearing a blue shirt with short sleeves, red shorts with white flowers, and red face paint circles on his cheeks.
The suspect took an undisclosed amount of cash from the register, and then ran from the store. He was last seen running south on Adams Street (430 East).
Police quickly set up a containment around the area and deployed a K-9 service dog that tracked the suspect for a couple of blocks. However, the suspect appeared to have left the area in a waiting vehicle.
South Salt Lake police are asking anybody with information on the suspect to call dispatch at 801-840-4000. Police are also asking residents not to contact this person, as he is considered armed and dangerous. All calls are considered confidential and callers can remain anonymous.
