Streetsboro Police Department is asking the public to help identifying a woman who pepper-sprayed a Dollar General store employee during an robbery.
Police said in a Facebook post that the woman entered the store in the 9000 block of State Route 14 about 8:15 p.m. Nov. 25 and picked out a few items.
The post said she took the items to the register, and then demanded money from a safe and threw the items at the cashier. Before the cashier could respond, the woman pepper-sprayed the cashier, whom police said they will not identify because of Marsy’s Law, which protects the identities of victims of crime.
The woman then went behind the counter and continued to spray the cashier, who tried to block the spray. The incident can be seen on store security video police posted on Facebook. Police covered the victim’s face to ensure she cannot be identified.
A second, unseen store employee who heard and saw what happened announced that police had been called and the woman left the store.
The cashier was in severe pain, with her eyes and skin burning, and had difficulty breathing, police reported. EMS took the cashier to University Hospitals Portage Medical Center for treatment.
The suspect was described as a heavy female with long brown hair wearing a blue top with a white stripe across her chest. She was last seen heading east on State Route 14 toward Ravenna in a dark SUV.
Police say that although the surveillance images are not very clear, they are hoping someone will recognize her from the distinctive Nike Air hoodie and her physical characteristics.
Anyone with information should call dispatch at 330-626-4976; email Officer Nicholas Newland at nnewland@streetsboropolice.com; or email info@streetsboropolice.com.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Streetsboro police want to ID woman who pepper-sprayed store cashier
Reporting by Ravenna Record-Courier / Record-Courier
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