Police investigating attempted armed robbery near Hermiston
NEAR HERMISTON, Ore. - Authorities are investigating to learn more about a man who police say tried to rob a local convenience store while armed with a rifle.
Hermiston police reported a man attempted to rob the Short Stop Gas Station at 32553 East Punkin Center Road around 4:15 Sunday morning.
Two employees told police they were working outside the store when they saw a man walking toward them from Punkin Center Road.
The man reportedly ordered one of the employees to go inside, but instead both employees ran away across Highway 207 and called 911.
According to police, employees also said the man tried to open the cash register but it was locked. He ran without taking anything once he discovered the register was locked.
The man is described as 6' to 6'2, weighing 120 to 140 pounds.
He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, a black baseball cap, dark gloves, white plaid shorts with lime green and navy stripes and white socks pulled up over the calves, according to reports.
Police said he was also wearing a dark green bandana over his face and was holding a black rifle.
Officers with the Hermiston Police Department are looking over video footage from the store.
They are asking anyone with information regarding this attempted robbery to contact the Umatilla County Sheriff's Office at 541-966-3651.
