Man takes aim at store clerk; no shots fired

An armed robber pointed his gun at a store clerk and pulled the trigger twice, but the weapon did not discharge during a robbery at the 99 Cent Store in Corning on Saturday, police reported.

Corning police are looking at the similarities between Saturday's robbery and the one at the Valero gas station on Aug. 20, when an armed robber, matching a similar description as given from the 99 Cent Store, got away with about $250, police said.

And undisclosed amount of cash was taken from the 99 Cent Store.

The store clerk told police a single robber entered the store and demanded money from the cash register and another employee was told to get on the ground.

When the employee did not comply, the robber, armed with what was believed to be a semi-automatic handgun, pulled the trigger, but the gun did not discharge, police said.

As the gunman was running out the door with cash in hand, he attempted to shoot the gun at the employee, but the gun again misfired, according to a statement given to officers.

The gunman is reported to have ran southbound behind the business where he met up with an accomplice and on toward Valley Terrace Apartments on Toomes Avenue.

Police said they located money on the ground in a field south of the business and money and clothing possibly worn by the gunman on Toomes and Grant avenues.

Witnesses in the area told police they saw two people running to a white Nissan Altima, one of them taking off clothing, and a third person driving the vehicle. When the two got into the car, it left southbound on Toomes Avenue, said police.

A person at the Green Door Tavern reported seeing a white Nissan rapidly pull into the parking lot and then leave heading southbound on Highway 99W, the police reported.

The armed robber was described as wearing a gray sweatshirt, khaki pants, a white hat and black mask, according to police.

A similar description was given of an armed robber who held up the Valero gas station.

The male robber was described as 5 feet, 9 inches tall, 190 to 200 pounds, wearing black shoes, black pants, a long-sleeved hoodie and "some type of bandana" covering his face, according to police reports.

The robber entered the store, pointed a gun at the clerk and demanded cash from the register. After a store clerk handed over $249 in cash, the robber fled on foot, traveling southbound on East Street, police stated.

This is the second time both stores have been robbed at gunpoint in recent history.

The 99 Cent Store was robbed at gunpoint by a masked man on Jan. 8, around 8:50 p.m. In that incident the robber got away with an undisclosed amount of cash.

At that time store owner Sam Sayegh said he is not worried about the money, just pleased the girls were not hurt. Sayegh could not be reached for comment on the most recent robbery.

The Valero gas station was robbed in January 2008 by a man armed with a handgun who fled with an unknown amount of cash.

Anyone with information concerning this investigation is asked to call the Corning Police Department at 824-7000.