Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
Authorities believe the man who tried robbing a convenience store in Shawano on Friday might be the same man who held up a store in Clintonville at gunpoint last week.
Shawano Police Lt. Dan Mauel said officers are coordinating with the Clintonville Police Department in the investigation.
The attempted robbery in Shawano took place at the People’s Express East, 1206 E. Green Bay St.
According to the police report, a man entered the store about 8:14 p.m. carrying a 4-inch folding knife. He was described as 5 feet, 6 inches tall, wearing a black pullover sweatshirt with the hood pulled up over his head, gloves, black pants and a white cloth mask pulled up over his nose.
Two employees were inside the store at the time, according to the report.
The report states the man walked behind the counter and demanded money from the register, but then fled the scene without taking anything.
Police have not released information about why they believe the man fled empty-handed.
The Police Department’s K-9 unit was brought in to track the suspect but was unsuccessful.
The incident came two days after the armed robbery in Clintonville.
In that incident, a man wearing a face mask entered the Schroeder Shell convenience store, 325 S. Main St., shortly after 1 a.m., displayed a large hand gun and demanded money from the clerk. He made off with an undisclosed amount of money.
Police described that suspect as a white male, wearing a green hooded winter jacket, gloves and a camouflage face mask.