A man robbed adult entertainment store Red Letter News on East Washington Avenue early Saturday morning, leaving with a small amount of cash and a movie.
According to the police report, the Madison Police Department received a call at 5:48 a.m. from an employee at the store reporting the robbery. The suspect implied he had a gun, though none was seen by the employee.
Lt. Dave McCaw of the MPD said the time for the robbery was “oddish,” saying the suspect was either an early-riser or had stayed up late.
The early hour was not the only odd aspect of the incident. The suspect is described as a black male in his 30s with an average height and build. However, the suspect was wearing dress clothes, including a dress coat, brown dress slacks, brown dress shoes and a diamond earring in his left ear.
“It is odd,” McCaw said, referring to the robber being dressed up. “I don’t know what to make of this.”
The suspect was in the store for an extended period of time — approximately 20 minutes, according to McCaw.
As opposed to older surveillance technology utilized by some stores that was “grainy,” McCaw characterized Red Letter News’ cameras as “sophisticated.” He said multiple cameras were employed, offering high definition pictures of the suspect from many angles.
McCaw said the cameras allow the police to see the suspect touching various items in the store, and fingerprints and DNA can now be lifted from the items.
With this level of surveillance and evidence, McCaw’s confidence the suspect will be caught is “very high.”
The extended surveillance and fingerprints of the suspect while in the store limits the suspect’s defense, McCaw said.
“It’s harder for him to say he wasn’t there and didn’t touch [an item],” McCaw said, adding the cameras can also see if the item was touched by other people in the store.
The Red Letter News — open 24 hours — has been a popular place to rob, with at least two robberies this year, McCaw said.
A representative of Red Letter News could not be reached as of press time.
Anyone with information on the robbery is urged to call Madison Crime Stoppers at (608) 266-6014.
