FLORENCE – Police are investigating two armed robberies overnight Friday and into Saturday.
The first was at about 10:20 p.m. Friday at the Gate station at 1102 W Evans St., Maj. Carlos Raines, Florence Police Department, said.
According to Raines, two black males wearing all black and red bandanas over their faces and armed with hand guns entered the store.
One suspect went over to the employee at the register and stole a small amount from there. The other suspect approached a different employee and tried to get that person to open up a safe but was unsuccessful, Raines said.
Both suspects left on foot toward Waverley Avenue. No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.
The second armed robbery occurred at approximately 7 a.m. Saturday morning at the Sav-Way at Five Points, Raines said.
Two black males, one described as 5 feet 6 inches tall, between 18 and 25 years old and wearing a black hoodie and the other as 5 feet 4 inches tall and wearing a black hoodie and a black ski mask with gold trim, entered the store armed with a rifle and shot gun respectively, according to the police report.
One suspect approached a customer, took his wallet but then threw it to the ground. The customer tried to grab the suspect's rifle but was unable to retrieve the weapon, Raines said.
The other suspect jumped across the counter where there were two employees, one waiting to get off work at a shift change. The suspect took a small amount of money from the register, jumped back across the counter and then went back behind the counter to grab some cigarettes, Raines said.
The two suspects then ran out of the store and went behind the building.
Raines said it appeared they got into a vehicle and fled.

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