Aurora police seek BB-gun toting man who attempted to rob store

Aurora police Friday released surveillance photos of a suspect wanted for trying to rob a far east side grocery store on May 12, only to have a clerk realize the gun was a toy and refuse to give him any cash.

Polce say the suspect, a slender white male between the ages of 18 and 25, entered the Meijer store at 808 N. Route 59 about 2:30 a.m. and began chatting with a 22-year-old female cashier.

After a brief conversation, police say the man displayed a gun and demanded money.

The clerk, who said she had a BB gun similar to the weapon the man was holding, refused to give the suspect any cash and he walked out.

Police spokesman Dan Ferrelli warned anyone victimized in a holdup against trying to decipher whether the weapon is real.

"That's not typically the advice we would give," Ferrelli said of the clerk's actions. "Because who knows how this would have ended had she been wrong in her assumption."

Police believe the man may have driven away in a dark green, four-door vehicle.

At the time of the attempted robbery, the suspect was wearing a black hat, hooded sweatshirt and pants.

"Everyone involved is really lucky this ended the way it did," Ferrelli said. "Obviously now our focus is on catching this individual and preventing him from trying a similar crime again."

Anyone with information is asked to call Aurora police at (630) 801-6655 or Aurora Area Crime Stoppers at (630) 892-1000. A cash reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information that leads to any arrests in the case.