Police: Suspect escaped with undetermined amount of cash

By Kyle Troutman ktroutman@cassville-democrat.com

A man wielding a handgun robbed the Wheaton Fastrip convenience store on Thursday morning, escaping with an undetermined amount of cash.

The suspect is seen on surveillance footage at about 12:50 a.m. pulling into the parking lot in a black four-door sedan, which Clint Danforth, Wheaton police chief, said had no license plates.

“He pulled up, ran in, demanded money, then drove north on Highway 86,” Danforth said. “He was inside for about a minute, and it was just him and the cashier in there.”

Danforth said there were no injuries, and the investigation into the suspect is ongoing.

“Tips have come in already, and we are following up on calls,” he said. “We are seeing where everything goes.”

With a population of 625, Wheaton has little history with gun crimes, Danforth said.

“We’ve only had a few serious gun crimes, and those were a few years ago and were personal,” he said. “Other than that, we have not had any issues. We have our little stuff, but we are pretty laid back here.”

Danforth said anyone with information on the suspect should call the Wheaton Police Department work phone at 417-236-2000 or Barry County dispatch at 417-847-3121.