Cedar Rapids police investigate dollar store robbery

Police continue to investigate after the manager of a dollar store was robbed of about $2,400 at gunpoint Saturday.

Officers responded around 6:40 a.m. Saturday to the Dollar General, 2741 16th Ave. SW, when the robbery was reported. The store's general manager, Gordon Lavergne, told officers he was approached by a man as he walked out of the store with a bank bag.

Officer Melissa Henderson, a police spokeswoman, said the suspect demanded the bank bag, but Lavergne tried to hide it. The suspect then pointed a small handgun at him and Lavergne handed over the bag containing the money, police said.

Police said the suspect, described as a black male with a silver or gold tooth and a lip ring, ran south toward Cedar Pond Townhomes. He was last seen wearing a bluish gray Eskimo hat with ear flaps, a gray camouflage shirt, black pants and green basketball shoes.

Lavergne was not hurt in the incident. He told police he saw the suspect running away with another person when he went to the back of the store while he was calling 911.

An investigation is continuing, and no arrests have been made. Anyone with information is asked to call Cedar Rapids police at (319) 268-5491 or Linn County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-CS-CRIME.