North Charlotte Dollar Tree Robbed 3 Times In 4 Months

None — The Dollar Tree store on University City Boulevard has been hit by an armed robber three times since August, most recently Thursday night.

Dollar Tree employees told Eyewitness News they think it's the same person because he comes at the same time late at night, always asks for the deposit bag and wears a unique mask that covers his face.

Thursday night, employees at the store were cleaning and stocking the shelves after work. Employee Virginia Bethea was about to lock the front door when a masked man approached with a gun and forced his way inside.

"Just scared, that's all. I mean, we were scared," Bethea said.

The robber ordered one employee to get the deposit bag from the back office. He waved the gun at Bethea and her co-worker and threatened to shoot if they didn't cooperate.

"He's waving it between the two of us, standing outside the office, while the assistant manager was in the office, getting the money," Bethea said.

Employees told Eyewitness News there were very similar armed robberies at the same location on Oct. 7 and Aug. 16. In all three cases, a masked man with a hood approached the front door around 10 p.m., forced his way inside, and asked for the deposit bag. Employees couldn't make out his face.

"I was standing there trying to figure out what he looked like, trying to see through the thing he had on his face," Bethea said.

Marvin Huggins works at the furniture store next door. He wasn't surprised to learn of another robbery.

"Why change what works if you're a robber?" he asked.

Eyewitness News asked University City Division police if they think the same person is responsible, and whether they've recommended safety changes to the store, such as not keeping the deposit bags around so late at night. Our messages were not returned Saturday.

On Saturday night, a Mecklenburg County Sheriff's car was parked outside the store, and a deputy walked the aisles inside. The deputy told Eyewitness News his supervisor told him to be outside the store.

Dollar Tree employees said robbery detectives took the store's surveillance video. Employees who saw surveillance video from previous robberies said the robber's face was completely covered.

WSOC