Two recent armed robberies as well as two cases of fraud have kept the Madison Police Department busy this February.

Two suspects entered the lobby of the Red Roof Inn Tuesday wearing black hooded sweatshirts and elastic bandages over their faces. One of the suspects then proceeded to draw a large black revolver, demand money from the front desk and then escape on foot with an undisclosed amount of money, a report by MPD said.

The MPD K-9 team tracked the suspects north of the inn, but failed to find them. It is presumed the two escaped in an unknown vehicle after fleeing the scene. Nobody was physically harmed during the course of the robbery.

The suspects are described as black males between 18 and 20, around 6-foot-6 and between 140 and 170 pounds.

Ald. Larry Palm, District 15, who represents the area in which the crime took place, stated such instances of robbery are both very sad and destructive. He added statistics have shown the rate of such crimes in the Madison area have either been staying at the same level or decreasing over the past few years.

Market Basket robbed

A single armed man also robbed the Market Basket on East Mifflin Street around 3 p.m. Tuesday.

According to the police report, the suspect entered the store and pulled a silver handgun. He was able to make off with an undisclosed amount of money and fled east on Mifflin.

The suspect is described as black male, 5-foot-7 and 25 years old with a stocky build. He was reported to be wearing a gray coat and a black mask.

As of press time there are no further details regarding the investigation.

Two classic scams prompt fraud reports

Earlier this month, concerned citizens also reported two cases of fraud.

The first came from an elderly woman who was contacted by a man saying the victim had won $2.5 million from a group of stores in Las Vegas. When the man asked to personally deliver the money, she requested it be mailed instead.

Upon hearing the money could not be delivered without personal contact, the woman filed a fraud charge with MPD.

The second case was filed after a man received eight e-mails promising $20.5 million would be moved to his bank account in return for giving his personal information, the report said.

Popularly known as the Nigerian letter scam, the e-mail asks for personal information to deposit millions of dollars into the recipient’s bank account under false pretense.

The numerous e-mails were addressed “Mr. Berkie Moussa,” a man unfamiliar to the victim, under the pretense that “Mr. Berkie” had lost a client and all his family to the Iraq War. The e-mail asked for the man’s personal information so both he and the victim could claim the money in a 40-60 split.

The offer promised to be “100 percent risky free,” the report said.

Although the initial charges are filed with MPD, the investigation ultimately lies with the FBI, MPD officer Tony Fiore said.

Fiore explained that investigating fraud cases of this nature becomes “prohibitively” difficult for local enforcement agencies.