Dickinson store robbed at gunpoint

DICKINSON, N.D. ­— Hollywood Nites video store in Dickinson was robbed at gun point Saturday evening and two other area businesses were burglarized over the weekend, authorities say.

A man wearing a black ski mask and black clothing entered Hollywood Nites at about 9 p.m., brandished a handgun and demanded money from the clerk, said Dickinson Police Captain Dustin Dassinger.

“Just the clerk was in the store,” Dassinger said.

Nobody was injured and an undisclosed amount of cash was taken, he added.

Jerry Mayer, co-owner of the business, said a large amount of money was taken.

“I’m going through the process of determining how much is actually stolen,” Mayer said.

The suspect is believed to be a white male with round eyeglasses, six feet tall and husky, Dassinger said.

Police are looking for a white four-door car with no hubcaps that was manufactured in the late 1980s to the early 1990s.

“We only believe that there is one person involved at this time,” Dassinger said.

Mayer said nothing in the store was damaged and the clerk was shaken up by the incident.

“It was very traumatic for them,” Mayer said. “Now because of this we have to look at doing things a little differently, which is sad.”

He may increase the number of employees working there so nobody works alone anymore.

“I guess it could happen anytime to anybody, but you just don’t think it’s going to happen,” Mayer said.

DPD Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect, Dassinger said. Anyone with information about the incident should call 701-456-7853.

Creative Energy in Belfield was also burglarized early Saturday morning, said Joe Schmidt, Belfield police chief.

“They forced entry by kicking in the door,” Schmidt said. “It was kind of an ill-fated attempt and they never got away with much.”

He would not release details on the incident.

The Stark County Sheriff’s Department is also investigating a break-in at a Richardton bar Sunday morning.

Entry was forced, Sheriff Clarence Tuhy said. However, he wouldn’t say what, if anything was taken.

“They’re still compiling information,” Tuhy said.

Schmidt said the robbery and burglaries could be related.

“There’s been a lot going on in the whole state,” Schmidt said. “There’s been a lot of break-ins and a lot of burglaries with similar styles, I guess you could say, so it’s a possibility that they’re all related.”

No arrests have been made with any of the three incidents, which are being investigated.

Ashley Martin is a reporter at The Dickinson (N.D.) Press, which is owned by

Forum Communications Co.

Tags: hollywood nites, news, crime, dickinson, burglary, robbery, theft, gun