Robbery still under investigation

Police are following up tips and investigating leads in connection with the weekend armed robbery of the Smith's Foods grocery store on Nucleus Avenue in Columbia Falls.

The suspect, however, is still at large, said Columbia Falls Police Chief Dave Perry.

Witnesses said a man carrying a 9 mm pistol entered the store at approximately 11:50 p.m. Sunday, about 10 minutes before closing, and demanded money from a clerk at a check-stand.

The man, who reportedly kept the pistol at his side pointed down, had the clerk fill his backpack with money.

The clerk eventually put the entire cash register drawer into the pack and the suspect left with an undisclosed amount of cash through the north entrance.

Only the clerk and two other people were in the store at the time and no one was hurt.

The suspect is described as a man with blue eyes and blond hair, about 5 foot 7 inches tall. He was wearing a blue bandanna across his face and was carrying a black-and-red backpack.

Witnesses were unable to tell police if the man, who "vanished into the dark," fled on foot or used a vehicle, Perry said. Surveillance cameras in the store are for monitoring purposes and do not record.

Anyone with information about the robbery is urged to call CrimeStoppers at 752-TIPS.