Staff Writer

Pike County authorities are investigating a third armed robbery reported over the past four months.

According to Pike County Sheriff’s reports, at approximately 8:56 p.m. Monday, two males ­ one armed with a handgun ­ entered Ward’s Store in the Springhill Community. The Exxon station is located at the interchange of Highways 168 and 87 of the Enterprise/Elba split.

"The one armed with a handgun rushed the clerk at the counter and demanded money," Pike County Sheriff Russell Thomas said, adding the clerk was not injured during the incident.

"They were in and out in 30 seconds," Thomas said of the suspects who fled the store with an undetermined amount of money taken from the register.

Thomas said the suspects ran in a "southernly" direction.

The Monday night robbery is just one that has been investigated by the Pike County Sheriff’s Department in the past few months.

All of the previous investigations have led to arrests of six individuals.

Two men have been charged in the robbery and murder of Roy M. Faulkner, owner of Huk-A-Buk Barbecue. That robbery occurred Oct. 17, 2001, and the first suspect was taken into custody just two days after the incident. The second suspect was taken into custody last week in Chicago, Ill.

Four Barbour County residents were arrested in connection with the Dec. 14, 2001, robbery of Trawick’s Grocery in the Josie Community. That incident also involved the robbery of individuals who were in the store at the time.

Anyone with information on the Ward’s Store robbery is asked to call the Pike County Sheriff’s Office at 566-4347.