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Police investigate recent rash of Salt Lake Valley store robberies

Posted at 10:30 AM, Jul 01, 2015
and last updated 2015-07-01 18:51:06-04

SALT LAKE CITY - Authorities are investigating a recent rash of convenience store robberies in the Salt Lake Valley.

Officials said, over the past 72 hours, at least half a dozen stores have been robbed, including three overnight.

Police are working to find out if any or all of them are connected.

A 7-Eleven was hit early Wednesday morning and officers said what happened sounds very similar to the other robberies; younger Latino men, at least one of them armed, stealing beer and cash at gunpoint.

Authorities said just after 4 a.m., three Latino men stormed the store.

According to police, two went to the beer cooler and a third held the clerk at gunpoint while emptying the cash register.

Then, 90 minutes after the Salt Lake heist, another beer and cash grab was called in from Herriman.

Unified Police said about five Latino men hit a Holiday Oil; two armed men took cash from the clerk and the other three got cases of beer from the cooler.

"Obviously this situation is very dangerous, these suspects were very aggressive and we want to get them caught before somebody gets hurt," Salt Lake Sheriff's Deputy Justin Hoyal said. "Fortunately in this case, no one was hurt during the robbery and we're doing everything we can to find the suspects."

Officers said the longer the suspects are on the loose, the more likely it is someone gets hurt.

Authorities said they would like to speak with anyone who has information in these incidents at (801) 799-3000 or (801) 743-7000.