Daily Staff Writer

The Lincoln Center Hy-Vee Food & Drug Store, 640 Lincoln Way, was robbed Saturday at about 5:32 a.m. when an unknown gunman held up the store, said Sgt. Randy Kessel of the Ames Police Department.

Witnesses described the gunman as a black male in his mid-20s, 5 feet 8 inches tall, and weighing 150-160 pounds, Kessel said.

The suspect was wearing a dark V-neck hooded shirt and dark jeans.

Kessel said the man entered the business with a handgun and took an undetermined amount of cash from a clerk before fleeing on foot.

“He fled the store northbound on foot, and we don’t know if he had a getaway car,” he said.

“At this time, we also don’t have any reason to believe that he had an accomplice, though we haven’t ruled it out,” Kessel said.

Kessel said he believes police are getting closer to catching the suspect.

“We are re-interviewing the clerk, and new witnesses are coming forward,” he said.

Witnesses usually come forward after they read about the incident in the paper and realize they have information to contribute, he said.

Hy-Vee store managers had no comment except to say that the clerk involved was not hurt.