Cape Coral gas station hit twice in a month, police search for robbers

Cape Coral police are searching for a suspect who robbed a 7/11 gas station at gunpoint early Monday. The robbery happened at the intersection of Diplomat Parkway and Andalusia Boulevard.

Authorities reported that just after midnight, a masked white male confronted the store clerk, warning, "Don't try to be a hero," before the clerk handed over an undisclosed amount of money. The suspect then took off. 

Willie James Pruitt, a neighbor of the gas station, described being awakened by the sound of helicopters during the search for the suspect.

"I was in the bed, and I heard all the helicopters or whatever back there," said Pruitt. "And I thought, 'Oh, something going on back there'."

Pruitt lives close to the 7/11, with the gas station practically in his backyard.

"You ain't gonna get out, get up in the middle of the night and run back and see what's happening, cause he might be right in your yard," said Pruitt. "You never know."

Detectives visited Pruitt's home on Monday and canvassed the neighborhood as part of their investigation.

This is not the first time this particular 7/11 has been targeted. A similar robbery happened exactly one month ago. Police are still searching for the suspect involved in that robbery as well.

Lisa Greenburg from the Cape Coral Police Department stated, "Our detectives will determine if there's any sort of connection here. I haven't been made aware of any connection, other than the fact that it's the same business that was hit twice."

Pruitt reflected on the robbery, saying, "It's a beautiful area, but it's always something going on that you don't know about, and I don't like that, you know?"

Police are encouraging businesses to ensure their surveillance cameras are clear and pointed toward the cash register to aid in investigations.