The Greenville Police Department is searching for leads after the Greenville Mobil QV gas station, situated between Taco Bell and Texaco along Fort Dale Road, was robbed Monday evening.

The suspect, who surveillance footage revealed to be a black male wearing a mask and gloves and armed with what authorities believe to be a semiautomatic handgun, entered the QV gas station at approximately 8:45 p.m. Monday.

Investigators said he went up to one of two clerks working at the station, showed her his gun and a bag, and then went immediately to the station’s safe and took the money before making his leave.

Greenville Police Department Lt. Joseph Disney said that the whole affair was brief, taking no longer than two minutes.

“He was armed, but once he made his entrance he made it known that he had his gun and what he was there for,” Disney said.

“He allowed the clerk to move away from the register and the area where the safe is.”

Though the suspect moved quickly, authorities arrived at the QV gas station quickly enough to see him fleeing the scene as he made his way across the street into the wood line behind the adjacent Best Western hotel.

“We were able to set up a perimeter and get the search dogs from the State,” Disney added.

“But after a couple of hours of searching, they lost the trail.”

Disney added that it was difficult to ascertain the suspect’s features from the video footage, though he is believed to be approximately between 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-10 and weighing between 150 and 170 pounds.

Though the suspect eluded authorities Monday night, Disney and the department are confident that he will be apprehended eventually.

“We’ve been fortunate to not have many robberies, but we’ve also been really fortunate to catch most of the suspects,” Disney said.

“Over the past several years, we have not left very many robbery cases open whatsoever.”

Disney urged residents to be cautious of their surroundings, regardless of how safe or familiar their surroundings may be.

“Be careful.  You never know who you’re going to deal with,” he said.

“And watch your surroundings.  We were lucky in that only the two clerks were there at the store at the time and nobody was hurt, but a situation like that can turn bad quickly.  People just need to be careful and watch their surroundings.”