League City store clerk tied up, pepper sprayed; search for robbery suspect
LEAGUE CITY, Texas - A young store clerk is recovering tonight after a violent early morning robbery in League City.
We have surveillance images for you to see of the man who investigators say robbed the 7-11 in League City overnight after pepper spraying and tying up the 21-year-old store clerk.
League City police say they are still searching for the suspect.
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"He had his face covered pretty well with a COVID-type mask. He had that and a ball cap on," explains Officer. Jose Ortega with the League City Police Department.
Although his face is covered League City detectives hope you’ll recognize the man who they say walked into the 7-11 on West Main Street around 1:15 Tuesday morning and became violent with the store clerk.
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"Came in and immediately peppered sprayed him and tied him up in a backroom," says Offcr. Ortega. Police say the suspect tied the clerk's hands and feet with phone cables.
Suspect photo. (Photo: League City Police Department)
The clerk was then pepper sprayed in the face again. That’s when investigators say the man robbed the store but not of cash.
"He took out his own trash bags that he had and started filling them up with tobacco products, cigarettes, and other tobacco products," Ortega adds.
"Crime is definitely on the rise," says one League City resident who was running afternoon errands with his wife, and she says, "In general, crime is all over. People are just desperate I think".
Then both husband and wife told me, "We definitely have changed our patterns of shopping. We’re always together when we go out to the gas station, grocery store. We’re a lot more cautious".
"It happens. It is concerning but it happens. I try not to live in fear," adds another resident.
Investigators say the robber was inside the 7-11 for nearly 25 minutes and ran off, out the back door when another customer pulled into the parking lot.
"It’s fairly unusual for our area but the 7-11 is about 2 blocks from 45. We sometimes see crime that can occur a little more often along that area with easy access back to the freeway," Ortega explains.
The clerk was treated at the scene for pepper spray in his eyes and face. Detectives are still looking for the man who assaulted the clerk and robbed the store.
The suspect is described as a Black male, 5'8" to 5’10" tall, wearing a baseball cap, face mask, gray jumpsuit, black shoes and a red backpack. There is no description of a vehicle he may have used.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the LCPD non-emergency number at 281-332-2566.