Lexington police look for man who robbed gas station. Robberies increase slightly this year

The Lexington Police Department is looking for a man accused of robbing a gas station with a rifle, one of several robberies investigators have dealt with in recent weeks.

The robbery happened early in the morning on Sept. 9 at a Shell gas station in the 6400 block of Polo Club Boulevard, according to Detective Kristyn Klingshirn with Lexington police. The suspect demanded money while armed with the rifle.

Along with the money stolen from the gas station, the suspect also got away with roughly $375 worth of vape cartridges, according to Klingshirn. The suspect then fled on foot and has been at-large since.

Klingshirn said the suspect wore a black hoodie which had “some type of either purple or blue hash mark looking marks on the side of the sweatshirt.”

Reported robberies in Lexington have increased this year compared to last year. Through July, which is the most recent month of available data from Lexington police, the city had seen 138 robberies. That’s about 7% more than last year.

In July alone there were 29 robberies, which is the most reported in a single month since July 2021, according to Lexington police data. Police have investigated several additional incidents in recent weeks, including a string of three robberies allegedly committed by one suspect.

Police also reported a recent robbery at a PNC Bank on Euclid Avenue Monday. Investigators said 39-year-old Michael Gilbert, of Georgetown, entered the bank and demanded cash. He left the bank with an unknown amount of money, police said.

Gilbert was later arrested after investigators used LPD’s real-time intelligence center to find him. An arrest citation stated Gilbert disposed of two stacks of cash after he realized there was a GPS tracking device attached to the money.

Hannah Sloan, a spokesperson for LPD, said there is not one specific factor that can attribute to the increase in robberies.

“Our detectives ask everyone to remain alert and be aware of their surroundings,” Sloan said. “If you see something, say something. Report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement.”

Investigators are asking for information about the suspect and the robbery. The public is encouraged to submit information to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers of P3 Tips.