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A photo taken from surveillance video released by Aspen police of the suspects.
Aspen Police Department/Courtesy Photo
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A photo taken from surveillance video released by Aspen police of the suspects.
Aspen Police Department/Courtesy Photo
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A photo taken from surveillance video released by Aspen police of the suspects.
Aspen Police Department/Courtesy Photo
A man wearing a mask used a knife or a screwdriver to rob the concession stand at Theatre Aspen on Tuesday night, police said Wednesday.
Witnesses described the man as a white male wearing a baseball cap, glasses, a flannel shirt, something covering his hands and a bandana over his face, Assistant Police Chief Bill Linn said.
Linn declined to say how much money was stolen, though he said no one was injured in the incident.
The armed robbery occurred about 9 p.m. at the Theatre Aspen concession stand near Rio Grande Park, police said.
“Employees of the concession stand were approached by a man wearing a mask and disguising his identity,” according to a news release from Aspen Police. “The man demanded money from the cash register. The three employees complied with the demands.
“Officers canvassed the area but were unable to locate the suspect.”
The weapon used was “edged,” though there was some discrepancy over whether it was a knife or a screwdriver, Linn said.
The news release linked the armed robbery to two purse snatchings that occurred in recent days in Aspen’s downtown core.
The first of those happened about 8 p.m. July 3, when a man riding a bicycle grabbed a purse hanging from the back of a chair in the outdoor seating area of Kirby Ice House, 307. S. Mill St., according to the release.
A nearly identical crime occurred just before 8 p.m. Tuesday, when a male bicyclist snatched another purse from the back of a chair, this time at Casa Tua, 403 S. Galena St, and kept riding down the street, the release states.
Three surveillance video photos accompanied the news release. Linn said the man pictured was seen Tuesday at Rubey Park just before the Casa Tua purse snatching. The man generally fits the description of the Casa Tua robber, he said.
In addition, the description of the armed robber “is not inconsistent” with the man pictured in the Rubey Park photos, Linn said.
Anyone who recognizes the man in the photos should call Aspen Police at 970-920-5400 or text tips to 970-274-4128.