Reported Robbery at Hope Fresh Food Market in Stamford

Update, 5:30 p.m.

According to Capt. Richard Conklin, a male entered the Hope Fresh Food Market at approximately 10:20 a.m. Tuesday through an unsecured rear door carrying a weapon. 

According to police, the male was carrying a knife between six and ten inches long, was wearing dark pants and shoes, a black-and-red NorthFace-style jacket with the hood up and a ski mask.

The suspect was described by Conklin as being around 5' 10", 200 pounds. 

The suspect allegedly struggled with the clerk and was able to escape the store with an undisclosed amount of cash, fleeing out the back door.

During the struggle, however, two Hispanic women carrying a child entered the store and "exited stage left" when they saw what was going on. Conklin said he'd like those women to make themselves available for a conversation.

A K-9 unit tracked the suspect to the area of Pine Hill Ave., where the dog lost track of the suspect. Conklin said the investigation was impeded by the fact that the clerk first called a family member and then the owner of the store before contacting police.

"We like to be first on that list," Conklin joked, saying it wasn't until about 10 minutes after the robbery that they were notified it occurred.

Conklin said the robbery was "a first for something like this in the area in recent memory, but something we'll be keeping an eye on."

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A daytime robbery was alleged to have occurred at the Hope Fresh Food Market on the 200 block of Hope St. in Stamford Tuesday afternoon.

About half-a-dozen police vehicles responded to the scene, and police officers were milling about throughout the area and guarding the front of the store.

Officers were also checking the area of Pilgrim Walk and an empty K-9 Unit vehicle sat at the corner of Pilgrim at Colonial Rd.

Police said more information on exactly what had occurred would be made available later this afternoon.