Subway robber may be Iowa man

Published 9:30 am Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Police are investigating the man arrested in connection with a robbery at a gas station in Mason City, Iowa, as a suspect in the Blake Avenue Subway robbery on Friday.

Albert Lea Police Lt. Jeff Strom said there are similarities in the local robbery and the robbery in Iowa.

The alleged suspect is Anthony Paul Scharper, 39, of Plymouth, Iowa. He reportedly robbed a Murphy USA Gas Station just before 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

Email newsletter signup

Scharper was arrested about an hour later after an Iowa State Patrol deputy stopped a vehicle matching the witness’ description of the getaway vehicle.

It was described as a blue Dodge pickup, which is similar to the getaway vehicle description in the Albert Lea robbery.

The Albert Lea Subway was reportedly robbed just before 5 p.m. Friday.

According to a Police Department release, the male robber displayed a handgun and took an undisclosed amount of cash.

At the time of the incident, the man was wearing gloves, dark-colored clothing and oversized sunglasses.

Police described the robber as a tall, slender man in his 20s with long hair and a goatee.