Police say chemical irritant was used during recent incidents
Players Sport Bar (left) and Burrito Drive were robbed recently through the same combination of guns and a chemical irritant sprayed on the victims.
Madison Police are saying they believe that two armed robberies in the last three days on the Near East Side are related. Late Sunday night (May 4) at 10:50 p.m. two men wearing masks and carrying handguns stole cash from Burrito Drive, a restaurant near the corner of Brearly and Williamson Streets.
Last night (May 6) at 12:40 a.m. two men (one was armed with a handgun) with a similar general description entered Players Sport Bar & Grill on Winnebago east of Schenk’s Corners, ordered all employees and patrons to floor and stole an undisclosed amount of money. The strongest tie between the two robberies aside from the number of assailants and weapons was the use of a chemical irritant which was sprayed on victims during the incident.
“We believe they are likely related…but we can’t say that definitively,” Madison Police Public Information Officer Joel DeSpain told Willy Street Blog. “If you look at the proximity and the time, and the perpetrator description is fairly generic but similar; but putting all those things together we certainly believe there is a strong likelihood the two crimes are connected.”
DeSpain says he can’t remember in all his time with the police department or as a reporter in Madison that the perpetrators in a robbery have used chemicals to neutralize victims. Since many of the victims reported similar symptoms of burning eyes, nose and mouth, the discussion among police is that something like a pepper or bear spray may have been used.
A screenshot of crime reports on the isthmus within the last month. Madison Police is submitting data to Crimereports.com which publishes an interactive map.
No suspects have been identified but surveillance video from the Players incident has been recovered. No video was available from the Burrito Drive location. DeSpain added that they are also looking at other robberies in the greater downtown area to see if there are any connections.
“What we’ve seen in the past is that you can have one or two or three individuals really spike a particular type of crime in an area,” DeSpain said. “We’re asking citizens to be particularily vigilant at this time whether they’re in a restaurant or at a tavern, we’re hoping that this is not going to be come something that is happening over and over.”
Players Sport Bar suspect description:
#1: M/B 5’9-5’10 180-200 lbs wearing dark hooded sweater/sweatshirt and black mask from the nose down. Armed with a handgun.
#2: M/B 5’9-5’10, 180-200 lbs wearing light hooded sweater/sweatshirt and light colored mask from the nose down. Armed with some form of spray irritant.
Burrito Drive suspect description:
Male, black, 20-29 years old, 5’9″ to 5’10”, 160 to 190 pounds, muscular with a slender build, wearing a dark stocking cap, bandana over face and dark clothing.
Male, black, 20-29 years old, 5’9″ to 5’10”, 160 to 190 pounds, muscular with a slender build, wearing a dark stocking cap, bandana over face and dark clothing.
