Gas Station Robbed by Men Thought to Be Armed

Clerks at a Brookfield gas station were robbed Saturday by two men, at least one of whom was thought to have a gun, police said.

The clerks were able to hit an under the counter silent alarm, but the pair escaped with cash from the register and cartons of cigarettes.

According to Brookfield police:

At 8:36 p.m. April 20, police were alerted by a counter alarm, sounded twice, from Brookfield Place gas station, 3075 N. 124^th St.

Two men, dressed in black clothing and caps, had entered, officers were told. One of them was carrying a Pringles canister, which he upended on the counter, loudly spilling a load of pennies, which was thought to be some sort of attempt at diversion.

They demanded money and Newport cigarettes, the staff told officers.

One of them, they said, had a turtleneck pulled up over his nose and appeared to have a handgun in his pants waist.

Before they left, the one with the Pringles can scooped some of the pennies back into it and carried it off as well.

The robbers left on foot, heading south, the witnesses said. Brookfield police called in Wauwatosa and Elm Grove officers to assist, and a K9 unit was brought in, but the robbers escaped.

A resident who lives at 124th and Birch St. said he saw the suspects run to the east side of 124^th and enter the first building south of Cousin’s.

Police collected the remaining pennies and other physical evidence at the gas station for possible DNA evidence, and the station provided video footage, which is still being reviewed.