Robber Leaves His Hat
In E. Randolph Store

Messier's Store in East Randolph was robbed of $320 at gunpoint Monday and store employees were still feeling shaky yesterday.

The robbery felt like a personal violation, owner Amy Messier said.

At 7 p.m. Monday a man described as from 5'8" to six feet tall walked into the store with a ski mask and a hat on and carrying a gun—although employees did not get a good enough look at it to tell if it was real. He demanded the money from the cash register.

Store policy is that when this occurs, the money should be handed over pronto, but that was too hard a pill for Mary Martin behind the counter to take. She knew there was considerable money in the drawer and gave the robber an argument.

"Mary was feeling territorial," Messier explained.

This annoyed the robber so much that he took off his hat and threw it at Martin, Messier said.

That wasn't too smart, as it afforded a slightly better look at the man, and the hat became a piece of evidence. The scent on the hat also was enough to trace the escaping man—who was on foot—east on Route 66 to a gravel parking lot where the trail disappeared. It's likely the man's car was waiting at that spot.

Neither the state police or the Orange County Sheriff's Dept. had located the culprit as of noon yesterday.

Three employees were at the store at the time, but nobody was injured.

"We're just trying to get back to normal," Messier said yesterday.

Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call the State Police at the Royalton barracks at 234-9933.