Forest Park Police warn residents about a violent spike in crime

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Forest Park Police have posted flyers in local business about a string of robberies.  They want people to know what's going on so they'll be on the lookout for anything suspicious, and they'll be on alert because none of the armed men demanding cash have been captured. 

The most recent robbery was Wednesday.  A man wearing a skeleton mask and carrying a black and silver gun walked into the Family Dollar and on Forest Parkway and demanded the clerks hand over all the cash.  Police say the same man, wearing the same skeleton mask and carrying the same black and silver gun robbed the same Family Dollar in December. 

"I stay right down the road and knowing there's been that many robberies, It's kind of scary," said Temperance Neal who was shopping at the Family Dollar.

Police say sandwiched between those two crimes at Family Dollar, there have been other robberies.

"That corridor right now we've had five robberies either pedestrian or commercial in the last 30 days," said Forest Park Police Sgt. Kelli Flanigan. 

Investigators say a gunman walked into the Waffle House looking for cash. They also say there were two separate cases of men being held up while they were just walking down the street. 

"The stole money, clothing items, and a cell phone," said Sgt. Flanigan. 

While police try to track down the crooks, they urge everyone to be extra careful.  

"I can't imagine that many robberies in an area with so many police present. I'm shocked," said Ontario Smith-Dunlap who says he regularly shops at the Family Dollar.