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UTAH COUNTY — Police are searching for a man who robbed two tanning salons in Utah County, and fired a gun inside one of the businesses. Investigators hope surveillance video will help them find the suspect.
The first robbery happened at about 8:10 p.m. Wednesday at the Golden Globe Tanning Salon at 1190 N. Main Street in Springville. Employees told police a man walked into the salon, brandished a dark handgun with a chrome hammer and demanded money. The employees refused open the safe, so the man took money from their purses then fled.
Springville Police Lt. Dave Caron said officers responded and searched the area, but were unable to locate the man. No one was injured in the incident where the man took a "small amount of money," police said.
About an hour after the first robbery, police believe the same man robbed the Waikiki Beach tanning salon at 2255 N. University Parkway in Provo. This time however, as he was demanding money he fired at least one shot into the salon.
No one was injured in that incident, either, where the man did take some money before fleeing westbound on foot, again evading officers.
"We had a ton of officers in the area looking for him," Siufanua said. "We canvassed the offices and neighborhoods, but didn't find him."
Sgt. Matthew Siufanua of the Provo Police Department said, "We're trying to figure out why he shot his weapon. Right now, we found the casing. We're just trying to find out where he shot in the building itself."
"We had a ton of officers in the area looking for him," Siufanua said. "We canvassed the offices and neighborhoods, but didn't find him."
Employees at both salons described the man as about 5 feet 6 inches tall, medium build, with tattoos on his arm. He was wearing black pants, a black long-sleeve shirt, and a black ski mask.
Siufanua said the suspect descriptions appear to match and officers assume the man has a vehicle that he used to get from Springville to Provo.
Police say the man should be considered armed and dangerous.
Sgt. Siufanua said the salon employees are shaken up but were not physically injured in the incident.
Those with information about the incidents have been asked to call Provo police at 801-852-6210.
Contributing: Randall Jeppesen
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