The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

Joplin Metro

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July 1, 2008

Police probe store robbery, stabbing of man downtown

By Jeff Lehr

jlehr@joplinglobe.com

Reported robberies of a convenience store late Monday and of a man outside the bus depot in downtown Joplin earlier in the day remain under investigation by police.

A 49-year-old man from Webb City was stabbed during a late-afternoon robbery in an alley near the Greyhound Bus terminal at 217 W. Second St., according to Cpl. Chuck Niess of the Joplin Police Department.

Niess said James H. Schofield waved down a patrol car near the station at 5:18 p.m. to report that he had been robbed and stabbed by two men who left the area. Schofield was taken to St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin for treatment of a stab wound to his lower abdomen, Niess said.

Schofield told police that he was approached by two men, one of whom displayed a butterfly knife and demanded his medications. Niess said the victim reportedly gave the other man two bottles of prescription medicine that he had on him.

The man with the knife then demanded Schofield’s wallet, and he handed that over as well, Niess said. The man then lunged at him twice with the knife, stabbing him on the second try, Niess said.

Schofield told officers that the robbers left on foot in an alley headed north. Police searched the area but could not find any suspects, Niess said.

The man with the knife was described as being about 5 feet 10 inches tall, of medium and muscular build, with short, black hair, and wearing basketball shorts and a dark-blue tank top, police said. His accomplice was about 5 feet 7 inches tall, also of medium and muscular build, with short, black hair, and wearing white jean shorts and a white tank top, police said.

No approximation of their ages was listed in the police report, Niess said.

Cody’s convenience store, formerly known as the Snak-Atak store, 1631 E. Fourth St., was robbed by a lone gunman just before 11:20 p.m. Monday, police said.

The robber reportedly entered the store wearing a black bandanna over his face, displayed a handgun to the male clerk on duty and demanded money. The clerk put an undisclosed amount of money from a cash register into a sack, and the robber fled the store with it, Niess said.

The clerk reported the robbery, and a police dog was taken to the scene to assist officers.

“They found a pair of gloves while trying to track where the suspect went,” Niess said.

But it could not be determined for certain if the gloves had been disposed by the robber, he said.

The gunman was described as being about 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing 135 pounds, about 25 years of age, with short, black hair, and wearing a black shirt and dark-blue jean shorts.

No arrests had been made in either robbery case by late Tuesday afternoon.

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