Armed robbery on Commerce

Published 12:00 am Saturday, August 6, 2005

With traffic flowing on Commerce Street, people milling and offices, one of Greenville's newest businesses downtown was robbed at gunpoint.

According to Greenville Police Chief Lonzo Ingram, a black male wearing a ski mask held an employee of Security Finance at gunpoint at approximately 10 a.m. The office is two blocks from the Butler County Courthouse at 503 E. Commerce St.

"He was wearing a blue jumpsuit and a ski mask covering his face," Ingram said.

"He was carrying a pistol wrapped in a towel and he told the manager to give him all the money."

The employee on duty,

Tyler Burrage, said everything happened so fast.

"I was scared to death," she said.

Burrage was alone in the business after her supervisor had left to run an errand.

She told authorities the man told her to get down on the ground.

She said she gave him some money and got on the floor and he ran.

She told a Montgomery television station that she thought, "please don't shoot me" and of her 5-month baby.

Ingram said the man left on foot and later drove away with only a small amount of cash. The getaway car was either light silver or pearl in color and that the robber was the only occupant of the car.

The case in under investigation, but if you have any information that would help investigators, call 1-888-GPD-TIPS.